Weaver of Fates
by Miss Delirium
Summary: With the help of The Weaver of Fates, Liana escapes her terrible past only to wake up in a terrifying world of monsters. On top of that, a flaming bird is picking off members of the Nura Clan shortly after her arrival. Then there's that weird white-haired boy hanging around... It's just one thing after the next... Kappa/OC
1. Chapter 1

A/N - Okay, so I've been working on this for months now and have written 14 chapters so far (and counting). I thought it was about time I tried to upload it and see how things go.

This is a bit of an unusual experiment. A lot of people write 'fan goes into the book' stories, but what if a character gets pulled into an unfamiliar world they don't know completely against their wishes?

Rated T for dark themes

Disclaimer - I do NOT own Nurarihyon No Mago/Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan or any of its characters!

* * *

1

"You asked for help?"

The girl floated a few feet from the tear-streaked teen, a Victorian style dress billowing around her as though caught in a breeze. The teenage girl rolled over to get a better look at the speaker, feeling for the floor that was no longer there. It was like rotating in water; easy, weightless.

"What?"

The small girl blinked at her question. "You were crying for help."

"So someone heard me, huh." She pulled herself into a kneeling position and rubbed a sleeve over her eyes, her bleary vision clearing.

The girl before her seemed more like a sepia photograph, flickering like a ghost in candlelight. She was fixing her with what could only be described as bored curiosity. The silence that passed between them was filled with a steady ticking from an unseen clock.

The teen looked away from the phantom. "I didn't think anyone would hear me."

"Everyone's cries reach someone. So... you want help?"

The girl nodded slowly.

"Help with what?"

She bit her lip hard and tasted blood. "I just want to escape."  
The phantom made a thoughtful noise. "That's an odd request."

She looked back up at the ghostly girl. A bipedal rabbit had appeared at her side, dressed like it was attending a Venetian Masquerade. All colour was drained to reduce it to a similar sepia photo. She recoiled as the odd rabbit fixed her with two button eyes.

"This is the Weaver of Fates," The phantom explained. "Normally he aids those who want to change the fates of others, not themselves."

The teenager couldn't help but stare back at the rabbit. What did she mean 'weaver of fates'? Was this some kind of dream?

"You see," The girl went on, "Those who want to help others are usually stronger and able to control him." Shrug. "No request is free, you see."

She snapped to look at the phantom. "You're not making any sense! Maybe I should just wake up..."

"If you want to change your fate," The phantom said slowly, "You need an exchange."

"Change my fate..." She looked down at her hands. "Even if this is just a dream, can you really do that?"

"He can."

"In exchange for what?"

"Something valuable to you." The phantom inclined her head on one side. "Usually a fond memory."  
She sighed. "I don't have any fond memories. I'm lucky I even still have my sanity."

"Sanity?" The phantom cocked her head to the other side. "Weren't you almost screaming for death?"

The girl shrugged.

The phantom made another thoughtful noise. "I guess Weave could help you. But I must inform you that I do want him back when you're done."

A shadow passed over the girl, and she snapped her head to look up. The rabbit was now stood before her, his colours plain to see. She fell to her haunches and tried to scrabble backwards, her arms flailing against the emptiness. It was nothing more than a plush doll!

She'd like to say that, but it was clearly alive. A soft ticking came from him, and he fixed her with black button eyes hidden behind a red eye mask with a gold trim, finished off with several long black feathers that framed the left side. Behind the mask and black suit, his body was made up of a patchy grey and white cotton fabric and his ears stood upright on either side of his head.

As the ticking grew louder, the rabbit pulled a pocket watch from inside his suit jacket. With a swift flick of the paw, it popped open, filling the vast blackness with a loud '_tick-tock-tick-tock_'. The world around them warped and the girl felt every ounce of strength being drawn out of her until everything went black.

* * *

Something hit the ground with a loud thud.

Kappa was snapped from his sleep and shot to the surface of the water, gripping the side of the pond with one hand. His large eyes fell on a motionless form sprawled across the grass. In the faint moonlight, it appeared to be a human girl, her face hidden behind her brown hair. Curiosity getting the better of him, he dragged himself from the water and perched by a rock a few feet away.

The girl jerked sharply, letting out a loud gasp. She pushed herself up with her hands, panting heavily before falling back down into the grass. With a disgruntled groan, she tried again, scrabbling to her knees then keeling forwards into the fetal position.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings with the feral intensity of a wildcat before landing on the water yokai. He recoiled behind the rock, staring back at her. She disregarded him and pushed herself up into a sitting position, still gasping for breath.

A noise in the long grass grabbed both of their attention. A bipedal rabbit strutted out of it, adorned in an elaborate outfit. It confidently approached the girl, clutching a pocket watch in one paw.

With a ferocious screech, the girl launched herself at the rabbit, sending it darting back into the overgrowth. The action drained what was left of her strength and she collapsed against a tree, keeping one eye on the long grass.

The rabbit reappeared, holding itself lower to the ground as it slowly approached the girl once more. The girl fixed it with an intense gaze, her lip curling up into a snarl. She raised an arm to strike the rabbit, but the effort was too much and it fell limply at her side.

The rabbit took this opportunity to leap into her lap and throw the chain of the watch around her neck. It then set to work winding the clock, the grating of the mechanism cutting into the silence of the garden.

Garden.

The girl's green eyes widened as she took in the picturesque landscape. A large pond sat next to a cherry blossom tree. A few feet away, two large, curious eyes were fixed on her. She turned to meet them, and her heart skipped a beat.

What was staring back at her was far from human. She leapt to her feet with a yell and dashed out of sight, the odd rabbit hopping along behind her.

Kappa shook his head. Something was very wrong. With one final glance around the garden, he ran to the house to wake the master.

* * *

"What the hell was that?!" The girl yelled.

She peered out from behind the bushes where she'd taken refuge. She'd managed to slip out of the gate that surrounded the garden and found herself in a small woodland area not too far away. The rabbit – Weaver of Fates – was at her side, but he seemed completely unfazed. His two button eyes were fixed on her, watching her every movement. It was a surreal feeling. She glanced down at him and sighed.

"Where have you taken me?"  
Silence.

"Can't you speak? Is this still a dream?"  
Stare.

"You can't even tell me where I am?" She balled her hands into fists. "Speak to me!"

Silence.

She sighed and leaned back against a tree. Wherever she was, it wasn't home.

Home... she remembered that. She also remembered that odd dream, that girl who told her she could change her fate in exchange for a memory.

No... she'd said she had no fond memories.

So what had the rabbit taken? Had he taken a memory? Something she did actually have a fondness for? Most of them were repressed anyway.

She blinked. Her name? She sank down against the tree. Surely she had a name. It began with an 'L'.

Lay... Lie... Liana? Yes that was it.

"Liana." She tested it just to see if it fit. It did.

So he hadn't taken her name.

Weave was still stood next to her, his paws at his side, fixing her with those odd lifeless eyes. She felt a chill wash over her as everything came flooding back. The reasons she'd cried out for help, the reasons she'd had that dream.

The reasons she was here.

She hugged her knees to her chest. If this was a dream, she hoped she wouldn't be waking up any time soon. She'd much rather be lost in a strange world than dealing with the evils of her own.

Lost in a world with monsters...

"What was that?" She asked again. She peered over her shoulder at the rose bush, the high gate surrounding that house was just visible above it.

Stars lit up the sky, twinkling pleasantly down at her. If it was still night time, then there might be more monsters about. She lowered her head onto her knees as exhaustion washed over her. Hopefully, by morning, she could safely approach the house and ask where she was. Until then, however, she would get some much needed sleep.

She felt Weave's expressionless eyes bore into her skull and she let out a long sigh.

That is, if she could actually get any sleep.

* * *

"Are you sure it was a human girl?"  
"Yes."

Two voices cut into Liana's subconscious.

"I have to say, I have my doubts," Said a female voice. "I mean, humans don't just drop from the sky, do they?"

"Not normally," came a deep male voice.

"Are you sure you didn't imagine it?" This voice was male but lighter. "We've searched everywhere."

Liana's eyes fluttered open. It was still dark, so she couldn't have been asleep very long. She was greeted by Weave's button eyes peering out from behind his mask. She stifled a yell, clamping both hands over her mouth.

Those voices hadn't been confined merely to her dream. A group of people were moving around not even two meters away from her.

"Are we sure she's human?" The deep voice asked. "That is, if she's real at all?"

"What are you getting at, Ao?" Asked the lighter voice.  
"Well, she could be a spy."

"Aren't we also looking for a rabbit?" Asked a girl. "I think I've found one."

There was a pause, then the lighter male voice spoke. "That's just a common wild rabbit. This one was apparently wearing clothes."

"It just gets more ridiculous." The deep voice sighed.

Someone mumbled something incoherent, but the others clearly understood it because one of them replied with:

"I didn't say we don't believe you."

Liana ventured to peer over the bushes. A young boy with glasses stood with three other figures. One was large and well built, another was a girl with long dark hair and pale clothes. The third figure was the one that had been watching her earlier. She swallowed drily and sank back down, trying to make herself as small as possible. If she held her breath and didn't move...

"What is it, Kappa?"

Something moved closer to the rose bushes.

"Can you hear some-"

"Shh!"  
Silence flooded over them. She was being as quiet as she possibly could... surely they couldn't...

_Tick... tick... tick..._

She grit her teeth. That damn clock.

A figure peered over the bushes at her, and all her breath rushed out at once as she scrambled backwards through the thorns. Two large eyes fixed on her from beneath what looked like a giant egg shell.

His three companions rushed to his side and fixed her with silent expressions of shock and awe. She felt like a frightened animal being examined at a zoo.

"Wow, you were right," Said the spectacled boy.

The weird creature rolled his eyes.

"She looks scared," The boy remarked.

"Well she should be." His female friend folded her arms. "Humans are supposed to be scared of yokai."  
Liana pushed herself further through the thorns, her wide eyes not leaving her sudden audience.

"I'd be careful," The boy told her. "There's a riv-"

The earth beneath her hands gave way, meeting cold water. She landed flat on her back, icy cold water surged over her and she let out a gasp. Two rough hands grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her upright. When she opened her eyes, she met the big brown eyes of that monster. With another yell, she shoved him into the thorn bushes and stood up, taking two large steps away from him.

Movement exploded around her as the large man pulled his fallen friend to his feet and the young boy and girl cut between her and them.

"Okay," The boy calmly said. "I think you need to explain yourself. Who are you? And why were you in my garden?"

"Me explain myself?!" Liana gasped, wiping drops of water from her face. "Who are you?" She looked from one to the other. "What are you?"

The odd group exchanged glances.

Liana looked away from them to take in her surroundings. The sun was just now beginning to rise. "Where am I?"  
"You don't know where you are?" The boy creased his brow.

Liana didn't answer. She climbed out of the rose bush and glanced around again. With the slowly increasing sunlight she could see past the massive fence surrounding the house. Acres of countryside land stretched before her, slowly blooming into a glorious village. Flowers and trees surrounded her expanding out into a vast forest, and the sound of the river suddenly reached her ears. Weave joined her side, a gentle ticking coming from him. She looked down at him, then up at the massive, wooden house on her right.

"This isn't England."  
"England?"

She looked back at the group. They were fixing her with quizzical stares.

"This is Japan," The larger man said.

"Wh-"

Her eyes widened as she glanced about frantically. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest. As realization hit her like a lead brick, she span to face the group.

"Am I speaking Japanese?"

The boy nodded. "Fluently."

Liana looked down at Weave. He fixed her with that ever present stare. What had he done?

"Do you want to come inside?" The boy asked her. "I'll ask my mum to make you some tea."

Liana ran a hand through her hair and sighed. Only hours before, she'd been pleading with some phantom to get her out of a dire situation. Now she was standing dripping wet in a foreign country speaking the native language in a world inhabited by peculiar monsters thanks to the powers of an artificial rabbit... being offered tea. She would like to say things couldn't get any weirder.

"Tea," She gave the boy a quick glance and nodded. "Yes, that sounds quite nice, actually."

* * *

Yep, weird I know. And it gets weirder trust me.

Please R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N - I'm not sure how well this story is doing so far... It gets off to a slow start tbh but I hope you're all liking it.

Disclaimer - I do NOT own Nurarihyon no Mago/Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan or any of its characters!

* * *

2

Liana kept pace with the boy as he led her up to the front of the large house. His friends followed along behind them silently. Clearly she wasn't the only one who felt things were a little bit strange. The garden was completely silent and the house was dark save for a couple of lights in the downstairs windows.

A loud splash caused her to spin on her heel. The boy's two friends looked from the expanding ripples on the pond back to her. She raised an eyebrow. Maybe it was the increasing sunlight, but she could have sworn the large, spiky-haired man and the small girl looked different earlier.

She turned back to the house with a sigh. Things did look different in the dark.

The boy had already opened the door. She trotted to catch up with him.

"Mum!" He called out. "A friend has just shown up to visit me! We'll be in my room! Could you bring us some tea?"

A woman rounded the corner and looked down at her. She covered her mouth to hide a giggle.

"It's a little early, isn't it?"

The boy responded under his breath. Liana didn't quite catch it. Rocking back on her heels, she glanced around the house.

"Oh my!"

She snapped to look at the boy's mother. Her eyes were fixed on Weave.

"What a cute bunny! Is it a yokai?"

Liana looked down at Weave then back to the woman. "A what?"

"Oh no!" The boy laughed. "That's ridiculous! This? It's a robot!" He bent down to pick up the Weaver of Fates.

The rabbit raised its arm swiftly, swiping away his hand. Liana could have sworn he ticked louder for a moment.

"Well," The boy's mother looked down at Liana. "I have to say, you do look rather wet."

Liana unconsciously pulled at her wet jacket. "I... fell in the river."

"We can't have you sat around in wet clothes, you'll catch your death! Come with me." She turned to smile at her son. "I'll bring her back to you in a moment, Rikuo. You three get settled down."

* * *

Considering how long it took to find something that would fit her small form, Liana had to thank her lucky stars she wasn't given the Spanish inquisition. The only question the boy's mother had asked her was how she knew her son. Thinking fast on her feet, she'd said they met through a friend – which was partly true. (She couldn't say school, she had to be about five years older than him!)

She didn't like to lie, it left a bad taste in her mouth. Not even in dreams.

Although she was beginning to question if this was a dream or not. That icy river water had felt shockingly real.

She now found herself sat in a small room on a cushion with the boy and his two friends, wearing a long white shirt and loose pants, fiddling with the watch around her neck. Someone had already bought tea through. A small green cup was placed before her.

The girl with long dark hair considered offering one to the Weaver of Fates, but changed her mind. Liana looked down at the rabbit. Did he need to eat? She hadn't been informed of such rules.

"Okay," Said the boy. "I think the first thing to do here would be to introduce ourselves. I'm Rikuo." He gestured to his two friends in turn. "And these are my friends Kurata and Tsurara."

Liana nodded slowly. "I'm Liana."

There was a pause. The three before her had all turned to look at the rabbit.

She sighed. "And this is Weave."

Rikuo smiled. "What is he, if you don't mind me asking?"

Liana shrugged. "A rabbit."  
"In clothes?" Tsurara gave a frown. "Normal rabbits don't wear clothes."

"He's not a normal rabbit."  
Silence passed over them, in which they all awkwardly sipped their tea. Finally, Rikuo broke it with the question Liana had been dreading.

"Why were you in my garden?"

She sighed. "I actually don't know."

"We were told you fell from the sky."

"As far as I know, I woke up in your garden leaning against a tree." She sighed again. "I don't recall dropping from the sky."

"You said you're from England," Said Tsurara. "Did you drop from a plane?"

"I've never flown in my life!" Liana shuddered. "And I don't ever plan to."  
Kurata gave Tsurara a quizzical look. "Do you think she'd have survived that?"

"You have a point," Said Rikuo. He looked back at Liana. "You don't even appear injured."  
"No..." Liana's mind drifted back to the moonlit garden. Something had been watching her. And she was sure... She looked back up at Rikuo. "Weren't there four of you?"

Kurata cleared his throat. "He didn't want to stick around."

Liana stared down at Weave. "Well, I was almost sure whatever it was didn't appear human."

Rikuo laughed. "The dark can play tricks on you."  
The other two nodded.

Liana was still not convinced. She opened her mouth to speak but Rikuo cut her off.

"Can you remember anything? Any reason you might have woken up in a different country?"

"I don't know." Liana looked away. "I thought I was dreaming but now I'm not sure."

The others didn't respond. She shook her head sadly and went on.

"I was in a rather... frightening situation. The next thing I know, I'm talking to a phantom girl. She gave me the Weaver of Fates with the condition I'd return him once I'm done."

"Done doing what?"

It was Tsurara who'd spoken. Liana glanced up at her.

"I assume changing my fate."

"So that rabbit," Said Rikuo, "Can re-write your fate?"

"I'm not sure how it works." Liana gave an exasperated sigh and ran a hand through her hair. "All I know is he takes something valuable to you in exchange for his help. I don't even have any idea what he's taken."

"But why would you want to change your fate?" Tsurara asked. "Isn't life meant to be full of twists and surprises?"

"If you want to talk about surprises, then I think waking up in Japan is certainly a big one." Liana practically growled. "Besides, I'm not wanting to relay my past to you. I'd rather forget it all, to be honest."

She looked down at the watch around her neck as silence washed over them again. She brushed her thumb over where the winder should be. Instead was a small hole. Flicking it open, she watched the second hand tick round the white clock face. Instead of the date, there was a small countdown rotating next to the hands. '21:48:25'... the seconds wound down as the long hand travelled around the clock.

"Did Weave bring you here?"

The question snapped her out of her trance. She wasn't sure who'd asked it. Snapping the watch shut, she gave a nod.

"I imagine so." She glanced out of the window.

"So I guess we need to figure out how to get you home?" Rikuo looked thoughtful.

"Well, I think flying is out of the question." Liana raised her hands. "I don't have a passport."

There was a pause.

"Or money, or a job... Wow." She leant her head on her hands. "I feel like I'm stuck in a Manga. Lost in a foreign country with no personal belongings thanks to a mysterious rabbit, in a world where monsters exist."

"There are no monsters." Rikuo waved his hands. "Monsters aren't real."

Liana fixed him with a stare. "I'm sitting next to a magical stuffed doll! How can you say they're not real? And I know what I saw in the garden!"

"Master? Are you up?" The door slid open. A blonde man stepped into the room. "I need to..."

"Ah-!" Rikuo stared dumbfounded at him, then looked at Liana.

Liana was too transfixed on the newcomer. He looked completely normal except for one minor detail – his head was floating separate from his body.

"Erm..." The blonde man stared down at her, then reversed back out of the room.

Liana felt something land in her lap, followed by a spreading warmth.

"You, erm..." Tsurara reached out to her, "You dropped your tea..."

Liana slowly turned to look at the dark-haired girl. She then noticed the fabric napkin in her hands. Taking it, she began dabbing up the green tea.

"Please excuse Kubinashi," Said Rikuo. "He should have knocked."

"I'm going to go." Liana stood up.

"Where?"

"I don't know. But something's weird here, my gut says you're hiding something."

"Okay!" Rikuo raised his hands and motioned for Liana to sit back down. "Okay. So... you've met two of our residents."

"Two?!" Liana sat back down, but more from the shock than actually wanting to.

"Well..." Rikuo looked over at his two friends.

Tsurara gasped. "Master!"

Liana span left and right, eyes flying around the room. "So there's more?!"

"Let me explain!" Rikuo pleaded. "Somehow..."

"In my world, people have... ghosts and monster sightings but..." She tried to take a deep, calming breath. "But no one ever believes them. Except... fanatics or conspiracy theorists!"

Rikuo reached out and grabbed her shoulders. In one fluid motion, she swatted him away and jumped to her feet.

"Okay!" He raised his hands. "Calm down and listen!"

Liana took another deep breath and nodded, sitting back down.

The boy went back to his seat and sat cross-legged. His two friends fixed him with two pairs of worried eyes.

"Yes, what you saw in the garden was real."

"So I'm not going mad?"

Rikuo shook his head.

"However," Grumbled Kurata, "If she hadn't woken him we wouldn't be in this situation."

Rikuo gave him a sideways glance. "If she hadn't, things could have gone a lot worse."

Liana stared down at her hands. "So... how many are there?"

"Well... my mother is the only human here."

Liana's eyes widened like saucers. She looked from one to the other then stood up. "Okay, now I'm really going to go."

"Where?"

She froze and looked down at Rikuo. He had a point. "How many monsters?"

"Can you please stop calling us that?" Tsurara sighed. "We're yokai."

Liana searched her mental dictionary until she fell on the knowledge that 'yokai' are creatures that are believed to live amongst humans in Japan.

"Aren't they the same thing?" She looked back out of the window. "Are they everywhere?"

Rikuo shrugged. "Pretty much. And to be honest, if you have nowhere to go then you're probably safer here. So long as you're a friend of mine, no harm will come to you inside these walls."

Liana swallowed audibly. Here? With strange creatures?

"I mean, let's face it," Rikuo went on. "You don't remember coming here, you're unprepared, you couldn't afford a hotel or a flight back home, and if you sleep on the streets not only does that leave you vulnerable to being attacked by a hungry yokai, there are also some unpleasant humans out there."

She shuddered. There certainly were...

"The offer's there." He stood up. "I'm going to speak to my grandfather and let him know what's happened here." As he left the room, he looked back at her. "I'm sure my mum would be happy with an extra pair of hands around the house."

The door closed, leaving her alone with Kurata and Tsurara. She looked down at them warily.

"Well." Tsurara picked up the small, green teapot. "I wouldn't recommend going for a walk until Master gets back. Have another cup of tea."

* * *

"You want what?!" Hitotsume's single eye almost flew out of his head.

A few other yells of surprise echoed around the large meeting room.

Rikuo looked from one yokai to the next. He hadn't expected them to be comfortable with the idea. His grandfather, however, was oddly quiet.

"We can't have another human living here!" Hitotsume went on. "Especially not some unknown human who fell from the sky!"

"We don't know if she actually fell from the sky," Rikuo corrected. "I'm only going off what Kappa said."

The one-eyed yokai snorted. "He shouldn't have been poking around so carelessly! He didn't just blow his own cover!"

"It could also be an elaborate lie," Said Zen. "We have no idea if she's even telling the truth."

Daruma looked over at the clan's leader. "Supreme Commander, don't you have anything to say?"

The elderly yokai made a long, thoughtful noise before looking up.

"This is quite the request, Rikuo." Before he could reply, he went on. "I can't say I'm entirely comfortable with it myself, but if she has no where else to go..."

Hitotsume began to retaliate, but the Supreme Commander raised a hand to stop him.

"Also, we do run the risk that she knows too much."

The room fell into a jumble of mumbles.

"I don't think any of us here are happy with a human being here, knowing this is the location of the Nura Clan, without the promise of keeping it secret when they leave."

"And who's to say they'll keep it a secret?" The one-eyed yokai cut in. "Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if she let other humans know where we are?"

"Exactly."

Karasu Tengu looked up at him. "Supreme Commander, are you really suggesting we let a strange human stay here?!"  
"Well there is an easier option," He answered, "But until we know for certain her story is a lie, that doesn't sit too well with me."

There were a few grunts of disagreement.

"This wouldn't have happened," Hitotsume groaned, "If certain yokai could just remember to use their human guises."

"This isn't a free-for-all offer though, Rikuo." The elderly yokai fixed his eyes on his grandson. "Think of this as a form of imprisonment. She can not leave the grounds unattended, and she must help your mother when needed. Once we are happy she won't give us away, only then is she free to go." He looked around the room at the other members of the meeting. "I trust that is a much more agreeable situation to you all?"

There were a few weak nods, shrugs and uncomfortable grumbles. A satisfying reaction, although Rikuo dreaded what reaction the suggestion of 'killing the human' would have evoked.

"Well, I'll be taking my leave now." He stood up. "Thank you, grandfather."

The old yokai gave him an affectionate smile. "Make sure she's well informed of the situation."

Rikuo bowed then left the room. He had to admit, things could have gone a lot worse.

* * *

Liana was sat with Tsurara (now known as Yuki Onna) and Kurata (now Aotabo) having her third cup of tea when Rikuo rejoined them. He gave them a confused stare before sitting next to Aotabo.

"So, when did you two reveal yourselves?" He asked them.

"She kept pestering," Said Yuki Onna.

Liana shrugged. "Sorry, curiosity was always my weakness."

"And you haven't ran screaming?"

"I considered it." She nodded at Aotabo. "Besides, he makes a pretty good wall to get around."

"That's good." Rikuo let out a sigh of relief. "Have you decided how you feel about staying here?"

"I could think of worse things."

"Well, luckily the Supreme Commander has agreed you can stay." He beamed.

Liana lowered her teacup. Having a roof over her head was an appealing idea, but it was still living amongst monsters. However, if she was safe like he promised then it wouldn't be a bad thing for the time being. She smiled back at him.

"Okay. If you are all sure it's fine, then I'll stay here until I find a job and get my own place."

Rikuo's expression seemed to fall. "Well... there are a few rules."

She inclined her head on one side.

"You need to be accompanied off grounds at all times, and help out around the house."

"Accompanied? Why?"

"It's... just a temporary measure."

"How long for?"

"Until the higher-ups release it."

Liana felt her heart sink. "You don't trust me?"

"Think about it." He gave her a hard stare. "If you had a secret that if it got out could put your life at risk, and a complete stranger found out about it, would you be happy with them walking free?"

She slowly turned to look out of the window. "I guess not."

"Well, I'll go and inform my mother – and anyone else I see – of the circumstances." He stood and left the room.

As Liana stared out of the window, she spotted various animal-like and reptilian creatures milling about. Either they were just waking up, or word was spreading that they could safely move around their home. She felt a chill wash over her. So this was where she would be staying for the foreseeable future. A resident, or a servant... or a prisoner.

She looked down at Weave. His button eyes were fixed on her, as ever.

"I wouldn't be too worried," Said Yuki Onna. "We're like a family here. So long as you're not seen as a threat, I'm sure you'll fit in fine."

Liana gave her a sideways glance. So much for words of comfort.

The sound of the door sliding open caused her to look round. Rikuo's mother stood there.

"Would you like to come with me, Liana?" She beamed.

With a nod, Liana jumped to her feet and followed the only other human in the house out of the room. Weave's oddly loud footsteps echoed after hers.

"I haven't introduced myself properly, have I?" Rikuo's mother chuckled. "My name is Wakana Nura. You can call me Mrs Nura if you wish, all of Rikuo's other friends do."

"Thank you." Liana wasn't sure whether a 'thank you' was necessary or not, but it seemed to fit.

Wakana smiled. "I cleaned your clothes by the way. They should be dry soon. When did you last sleep?"

"Properly?" Liana thought for a moment. Even in her own world, she wasn't sure when she managed to grab a full, peaceful night's sleep. It probably showed as well... She sighed. "I'm not sure."

"Well, in that case, I'll show you to a spare room."

She led her down winding corridors, and past many other yokai of various shapes and sizes. Even the ones that looked rather human gave Liana the chills, simply because if she wasn't aware that Wakana and herself were the only humans in the building she would have had no idea that these were supernatural beings.

They finally came to a stop at a room on the top floor. As she whisked the door aside, Liana let out a yell as several small yokai raced out into the corridor.

Wakana smiled. "You get used to it."

She ushered Liana into the room. Inside was a mat, already made up into a bed, and a lightweight wardrobe against the far wall. The window overlooked the garden with an excellent view of the pond and cherry blossom tree.

"I hope you find this room comfortable enough." Wakana looked around the room with a fond smile. "Oh, and you didn't have any belongings on you. If you like, I can take your measurements and get some clothes made up?"

Liana faced her and raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

The woman nodded.

"Well... if it's no trouble..."

"Not at all." Wakana gave her a playfully dismissive wave. "Get some sleep, I'll wake you in a couple of hours for lunch."

Liana thanked her and watched as the door slid shut. She quickly whisked the curtains across the window and fell onto the mat. It wasn't the most comfortable thing she'd ever laid on, but it felt good to finally close her eyes and relax.

The soft, rhythmic ticking of the pocket watch cut into the silence. Her mind went back to the clock's face and it's suspicious count down. She grabbed the watch and held it up to the dim light. With a quick flick, she was greeted by the ticking second hand and those numbers.

'18:02:57'

"Has it really been four hours?" She sighed and snapped it shut. She looked at the odd rabbit, still watching her from beside the mat. "What is it counting down to, Weave?"

The rabbit didn't answer.

She let out a frustrated breath and pulled the duvet over her head, rolling to turn her back on the rabbit. However, she could still feel his artificial eyes burning into the back of her skull.

* * *

Please R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N - I'm glad to see some people are enjoying this =D thanks to you all so far! You'll probably notice this without my saying so, but when the Yokai characters are in their human guises I use their human names to refer to them to differentiate. Hopefully this will avoid any confusion.

Disclaimer - I do NOT own Nurarihyon no Mago/Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan or any of it's characters!

* * *

3

Wakana let Liana's arm drop as she wrapped up the tape measure.

"Well, that should do for now. You aren't much smaller than me." She giggled.

Liana laughed nervously. "I've always been on the small side."

Wakana smiled and led her out of the room with Weave plodding along behind.

"So, what are we doing first?"

The kind lady looked back at her. "I just need to hang some laundry."

"Is that all?"

"Then it's lunch, but that's already being dealt with. After that, we clean the dishes."

Liana nodded her understanding. These chores were often menial at home, but with so many yokai living under one roof, she wondered how much laundry and washing that must create.

Wakana stopped near the front door and indicated two full baskets of wet laundry. "Take this basket and meet me by those washing lines. I'll follow you out with the other one."

Liana picked one up in both hands and strolled out of the door, straining to see over the top and hoping desperately she wouldn't step on anyone.

As she rounded the corner, she almost walked right into someone.

"Oops!"

Steadying the basket, she peered over the top of the clean white sheets. Two big eyes stared back at her from beneath black hair and an odd shell-like hat. Her heart flipped in her chest as the previous night's memories came racing back and she had to grip the basket tighter to avoid dropping it.

"Erm..."

"Oh, good afternoon Kappa!" Wakana shimmied past them towards the washing lines.

'_Quick, act like everything's normal._' Liana smiled at her mental pep-talk, then said, "So... you live in the pond?"

He rolled his eyes and moved past her through the door.

"Oh, good job, Liana." She sighed and picked up pace to catch up to Wakana.

As Wakana showed her how to hang laundry as though it was a task she had never before performed, Liana found herself distracted by the bustling yokai around her. Most of them paid her no heed, but a few did pause to watch her with avid curiosity.

"You get used to it," Wakana told her with a fond smile. "They're really no bother."

After all the sheets were hanging up to dry, Liana followed Wakana back into the house. A large room was set for dinner, filled with what she guessed was the entire house's yokai population. She thought her heart was going to crash through her chest and run away.

The kind lady ushered her into the room. "You go and sit down."

Liana fixed her with what she hoped were pleading eyes. "Are you sure I can't help with anything?"

"No, no." Wakana waved a hand at her. "You take a break. You can help me after lunch."

Liana gulped and turned to face the room. She scanned the various faces for any she might recognize. In the far corner, two figures waved at her – Rikuo and Yuki Onna. With a sigh of relief, she cut through the crowd, tiptoeing her way around until she reached them. It felt like everyone was watching her and seemed to take an eternity.

"Take a seat." Rikuo indicated a seat next to him.

Liana gratefully sat down and cast an eye over those around her. She was sat in a small group with Rikuo, Yuki Onna and Aotabo. But there were a few other faces new to her. The guy with the floating head – Kubinashi – was amongst them, along with Kappa and a monk yokai and curvaceous woman she didn't recognise.

"This is Kurotabo and Kejoro." Rikuo pointed to the monk and woman in turn. "You've already met Kubinashi and Kappa."

"So, you're our new resident human?" Kurotabo pushed a plate of sandwiches over to her. "I hear you got off to a bit of a messy start!"

Liana raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Rikuo laughed. "Ignore him. How was your first day?"

As Liana relayed the (rather dull) events of her afternoon, and listening to the conversations of those around her, a voice from behind startled her out of her seat.

"My apologies!" An elderly man stood behind her, his hands clasped behind his back. He gave her a friendly smile. "How are you enjoying your first day here?"

"Erm..."

He looked at Weave. "And this is your strange rabbit companion?"

"Ah!" Rikuo exclaimed. "Liana, this is my grandfather, Nurarihyon."

"Oh!" Liana gave the yokai a polite bow. "Thank you for letting me stay here."

"It's no problem, I trust you'll fit in just fine." With that, he smiled and moved away through the crowd.

Liana sat back down with a relieved sigh. A glass of juice was placed before her with a soft clink. As she looked up to thank whoever gave it to her, she saw Kappa move out of earshot and vanish into the mass of yokai.

Kurotabo leant in to her and said, quietly, "I think that's his way of forgiving you for shoving him into the thorns earlier."

She sank down slightly, feeling a small blush creeping onto her cheeks. "I still need to apologise for that..."

As dinner came to an end, Liana felt a hand on her shoulder. Her body froze and she looked up sharply to find Kejoro leaning over her.

"Shall we help in the kitchen?"

Liana nodded, trying to calm her racing heart before climbing to her feet to continue with the day's chores.

* * *

She wasn't sure if it was her lack of sleep, but it felt like she'd done an entire day's workout by the time Liana fell into her bed.

The sun had set about an hour ago and the yokai were still up, going about doing their things. She'd excused herself for an early night and lay listening to the bustle around her. Oddly enough, it didn't bother her. Probably because she was so exhausted. Like Weave's constant stare, she shut it all out, and when she closed her eyes, sleep wasn't far behind.

Darkness surrounded her like a vast sea of shadow. Floating above it, she was weightless, struggling to move forwards. All she was able to do was roll in the same spot. Lightning forked above her, vanishing into the far distance.

"How are you enjoying your fate weaving?"

She snapped to face the speaker. There, floating a mere few feet from her, was that sepia phantom girl, her dress blowing around her despite the lack of wind.

"Where am I?" Liana ventured to ask.

"Dreaming."

"You talk to me in my dreams?"  
The phantom shrugged. "It's an easy way between worlds." She fixed Liana with lifeless eyes. "You haven't answered my question."

"Well... it's scary to say the least." Liana pushed herself into a sitting position and crossed her arms. "You didn't tell me I'd be taken to another world."

"What makes you think it's another world?"

"Am I wrong?"

"No. Judgemental though."

Liana snorted at her words. "Well, I am grateful you got me out of that situation so... thanks?"

The phantom shrugged again. "Well, regardless, you need to be careful and step warily for the time being."

"What do you mean?"

"Well sure, you're trying to fit in, but right now your like the thorn in the lion's paw."

Liana raised an eyebrow. "I'm a human amongst monsters. I'm not going to fit in overnight."

"You're not the only human. And I'd be careful what words you use. You don't want to offend anyone."

"Noted." Liana sighed. "Would you mind letting me wake up so I can have a better, more ordinary dream?"

"I can't do that right now."

"Why not?"

The phantom looked up at the lightning, trying to find the right choice of words, before fixing Liana with her lifeless eyes again. "Well, it wouldn't be very fair. Weave is trying so hard not to wake you right now."

"Weave?"

"You still don't know what he's taken from you, do you?"

"No!" Liana leant towards the floating girl. "Why? Do you?"

The phantom smiled and let out a small giggle. "You're so naïve."

"Tell me! What did he take?"

"He took what was valuable to you, just like he did to me." She indicated her small form.

"You said he'd take a memory."

"And you said you have no fond memories." The phantom inclined her head on one side. "I also said 'usually'. I never said he would."

"You said you used him. What did he take from you?"

She indicated her small form once more. "I'm in my twenties."

Liana opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again as words failed her.

"He takes what's valuable." A dreamy expression crossed the girl's face. "I always wanted to get married, start a family, find myself a nice, well-paid job..."

Finally finding the words, she asked, "He took your life?"

The phantom shook her head. "He took my adulthood."

A small pause passed between them, then Liana spoke.

"Don't you hate him?"

The phantom inclined her head on one side again. "Why would I hate him? He did me a favour. He saved his life."

Liana looked up at her, her face reflecting the shock at the phantom girl's words.

"I did it all for someone I care strongly about." She spread her arms out to the side. "I gave up my own, beloved adulthood to re-write his fate and now I am stuck in this body forever. I would never have given it up for my own fate."

"Well," Liana grunted. "You probably enjoyed your life. I would have given anything up to change mine."

The phantom girl gave her a mocking half-smile. "You might not be saying that when you find out what he's taken."

Liana struggled to her feet. "If you know, tell me."

The phantom cocked her head on one side as though listening to something. "Nineteen... twenty..."

The vast blackness began to fade, a grating sound cutting into Liana's subconscious.

"Twenty one..."

Another grating sound... then another...

Liana opened her eyes. A weight was pressing on her chest. Her eyes fell on the form of the strange rabbit perched on top of her cast in shadow, the pocket watch in one paw. With a final grating sound, he wound a key inside it. Then, with a soft click, he removed the key and slipped it inside his jacket before hopping to the floor.

Liana sat up, fixing the rabbit with a cold stare. "What were you doing?"

She flipped open the pocket watch. '23:59:53'... The countdown had been reset. With a sigh, she closed her eyes. She wanted to ask what it was counting down to, but it was pointless. He wouldn't answer. She gave the watch another glance. 5:57. She didn't know if it was correct or not. She snapped it shut and looked over at the window. It was still pitch black outside. She guessed, if it was correct, she could get another hour or two of sleep.

Turning her back on Weave once more, she tried to summon sleep. When it did come, it was filled with nothing more than a phantom-less blackness.

* * *

The daylight woke Liana first. Then the sounds outside her room. They were up. Everyone was up and she was still in bed!

With a swift flick she opened the pocket watch. It was only just eight, if the time was right. So she'd been asleep two hours. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stood up and looked out of the window.

There in the garden were various yokai playing and laughing. By the pond, she spotted Rikuo chatting to Kappa.

"Ah!"

A light went on in Liana's mind. First things first, she wanted to apologise to Kappa formally for the way she reacted the previous day. She span to the pile of clothes she'd discarded the night before and quickly changed into them. Giving herself a quick check over in the mirror, her eyes fell on the tea stain in her lap. It wasn't too bad... oh dear, bed-head... She shrugged and left the room.

"Liana!"

Wakana intersected her in the hallway. They both leapt aside as a small yokai cut between them and scurried into the walls. Several others darted frantically down the hallway. Doors slammed throughout the house.

"Rikuo's human friends are here." Wakana smiled. "Would you mind helping Yuki Onna today?"

"Yes, I..." Liana looked over her shoulder at the now silent hallway. "With what?"

"Entertaining." Wakana ushered her towards the stairs. "Rikuo has to attend a meeting, so I need you to keep his friends out of trouble."

"If he has to attend a meeting, then why are his friends here?"

"Well, they like to show up unannounced sometimes. They're really nice children, but they have this unhealthy obsession with yokai hunting."

Liana's green eyes widened. "Then why let them in?"

"It would look a little suspicious if we kept turning them away." Wakana paused outside a closed door. "Now, Rikuo should be done by lunch. Oh... uhm..."

Liana followed the woman's gaze. Weave was stood beside her, his lifeless eyes fixed on hers.

"Oh!" She glanced from the rabbit to the door and back.

Wakana leant in to her and whispered, "This might look suspicious."

Liana crouched down before the rabbit. "Weave, there are people here who must not know that you're alive. Is there any chance you could appear... a little more inanimate for the time being?"

The Weaver of Fates continued his intense stare. Liana was about to let out a sigh of defeat when the rabbit suddenly flopped to the floor in a motionless heap.

Wakana let out a little yell and stepped back.

"Perfect!" Liana lifted Weave into her arms and stumbled backwards. "Or not!"

Despite being more than two feet tall, she was still expecting him to be light, but it appeared he was clearly stuffed with sawdust. The situation wasn't made any easier with him pretending to be a deadweight.

Wakana slid the door open and Liana stumbled through with Weave held firmly in her arms.

"Good morning!" Wakana beamed at them. "Liana here is a family friend of ours who is staying here for the time being. I'll be back through with some snacks."

The door slid shut, leaving Liana standing in the room surrounded by several curious pairs of eyes.

"Hi." She dropped Weave to the floor and propped him against the wall.

"Wow! That doll is like so adorable!" A dark-haired girl, Liana guessed to be no older than thirteen, scurried across the floor to admire the rabbit.

Liana ran a hand through her hair nervously. "Okay, if you say so."

"It really is! Where did you get it?" The girl had taken one of Weave's paws in her hand.

'_Please don't move please don't move..._' Liana smiled at her. "I make them."

"Really?!"  
Moving away from the girl and the Weaver of Fates, Liana tried to slow her racing heart. She still wasn't comfortable lying, and desperately tried to think of a way to change the topic before she was given a request to make a plush doll for everyone in the room.

"Did you sleep well?" Tsurara finally cut through the awkward silence.

Liana had barely noticed her. Yuki Onna was sat in her human guise with two other girls and a blonde boy. Another boy was sat a few feet away busying himself with a laptop.

"Liana here only joined us yesterday," Tsurara continued.

"Where from?" The girl with brown hair asked.

"England." Liana sat on one of the mats.

"Exciting!" The boy with the laptop spoke with an alarmingly enthusiastic voice. "But there are no yokai there!"

"Ignore him," Said a fair-haired girl. "Every third word out of his mouth is something to do with yokai." She glanced at Liana. "I'm Saori by the way. These two," She nodded at the girl and boy next to her, "Are Kana and Shima. The eccentric with the laptop is Kiyotsugu, and Natsume is playing with your stuffed animal."

Kiyotsugu looked up briefly. "Together we are the Kiyojuji Paranormal Patrol!"

The door slid open again and Wakana entered carrying a tray of cakes. Kejoro was close behind with some tea.

"I'm sorry Rikuo is busy at the moment," Wakana told them. "Until he's available I will have to ask you to stay in here. I hope that's okay."  
"That's fine, Mrs Nura," Said Kana fondly. "And these cakes look great!"

Wakana smiled. "Thank you. Well, enjoy." She followed Kejoro from the room.

Natsume shuffled back across the floor to join them.

"I hope he isn't too long," Said Kiyotsugu. "Otherwise there was no point in me bringing all these hunting tools!" He indicated an overstuffed duffel bag beside him.

Saori lay back on the floor. "Can't we just come here with the sole intention to hang out?"

"Not when there are all these exciting places to explore!"

Liana glanced over at Tsurara who gave her a nervous smile. Letting her eyes wander around the room, she looked out of the window. The garden was now deathly quiet. All the yokai had obviously gone into hiding. She let out a sigh and picked up a cake before stretching out on the floor.

"It's such a lovely day," Kana exclaimed.

"Yes!" Said Kiyotsugu. "After our tea break, we should go out there into the sunshine and practice our Onmyoji techniques!"

Shima placed his hand on a soccer ball. "Or we could kick the ball around?"

"Excellent! We can practice dodging attacks!"

Liana fixed her green eyes on the eccentric boy. "Are you really that obsessed with finding yokai?"  
All the other girls in the room let out a pained groan.

"Of course!" The boy exclaimed. "I intend to prove that yokai do indeed exist! As such, I make sure I am well educated on all things yokai. Have you ever seen any?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Well, being from England, you probably don't know much about them!"  
"Huh." Liana looked up at the ceiling as she took this in. "I actually don't."

"Well, as a visitor to our country, allow me to educate you!"

Liana found herself with the laptop dumped right on her knee.

"Here is a list of all the most popular yokai! I compiled it myself." Kiyotsugu puffed out his chest. "In this document you will find reports, recorded sightings and legends. I'm sure this will kill some time for you until Rikuo joins us?"  
Saori reached out to the laptop. "You don't really have to read that."

"Nonsense!" Kiyotsugu shooed her hand away. "If she wishes to be an honorary member of the Kiyojuji Paranormal Patrol, then surely she's interested in learning about yokai!"

Saori's face fell. "Not once did she say that."

The boy seemed to not hear her response. He shuffled round to Liana's side and began to talk her through the document.

"Here! The list of the most popular yokai in Japan – Tetsu, Tengu, Kitsune, Okami, Kappa, Bakeneko, Tanuki... and many more besides! This would make great bedside reading material!"

Natsume sighed. "It probably is your bedside reading material..."

Tsurara popped up between them. "Is Yuki Onna in here?"

Kiyotsugu grinned. "Of course!"

Liana cast her eyes over the very detailed document. It was practically a website. Each section could be clicked to take you to information stored elsewhere. She gave a mental shrug. It wouldn't hurt to learn a little more about the creatures she lived with, and she had been asked to entertain these people for a while to keep them out of trouble.

Tsurara detached herself from them to shimmy around the room refilling teacups, leaving Liana to the mercy of the yokai fanatic.

"Go on!" He urged her. "Click on any one you would like to read about!"

"All right..." Just to satisfy him, she selected 'Bakeneko', which was rewarded with a rather overenthusiastic cheer.

"Yes! The monster cat that kills its owner and disguises itself as them!" Before she could even start reading, he went on. "It's believed when a normal cat's tail reaches a certain length it will become a Bakeneko! And have you noticed the Japanese bobtail cat is born without a tail?"

"Huh!" Saori sat up to look at him. "I hadn't thought about that."

Liana scrolled through the masses of data the boy had compiled on this species of yokai. If it weren't for the fact she knew they were indeed real, it would have been no more than exciting fiction to her. She found herself occasionally glancing out of the window, but the garden was still as silent as ever.

Once she was done with reading up on Bakeneko, she found herself actually wanting to know more about the creatures she was living with.

Wakana poked her head around the door. "Are you finished with your dishes?"

"Oh, yes, thank you Mrs Nura!" Kana stood up, gathering the plates. "Let me help you in the kitchen."

Liana barely noticed the girl leave the room as she selected another name at random.

"Ah! The Kappa!" Kiyotsugu threw his arms in the air. "Never again will you want to go swimming in a river!"  
"It's just stories made up to stop children swimming in dangerous rivers," Said Tsurara.

"But all the sightings had to come from somewhere! Think about it, how can so many sources be wrong?"

Liana continued scrolling through the document. None of the images matched the one she'd met. Almost all of them resembled turtles in some way. However, what she read left little to the imagination. She suddenly began to feel very cold and her insides twisted nauseatingly.

She wasn't sure how much time passed, but the voices of Rikuo's friends became nothing but background noise to her as she continued plowing through Kiyotsugu's yokai research. Just like the first two, the other monsters were just as dark and frightening.

By the end of it all, one question shot to the surface of her mind – If these stories were true, then what on earth was she living with?

* * *

Okay, I have to admit I LOVE writing Kiyotsugu. He is such a fun character to work with!

I also like writing the phantom girl. She has some of the best lines

Please R&R!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N - Bit of an intense chapter this one... And a bit disturbing. I hope you enjoy it tho

Disclaimer - I do NOT own Nurarihyon no Mago/Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan or any of its characters!

* * *

4

The Kijojuji Paranormal Patrol finally went home just before lunch. The house almost seemed to sigh in relief as all the Yokai came out of their hiding places.

Lunch was chaos, just like the previous night's dinner. The dining room was crowded and loud, and as soon as it was over, Liana did let out a sigh of relief as she was given the task of hanging laundry. She was still feeling rather shell-shocked, the stories and legends still reeling around in her head.

They couldn't be true, could they? If they were, then wouldn't they have disposed of the humans who'd just visited? Or her?

She gulped. They could easily dispose of her. But Rikuo had told her that she was safe as one of his friends. Was that all it was? Did they all really go around harming people that weren't part of Rikuo's friend circle?

She gave herself a mental kick. The two she'd spent the most time with – Yuki Onna and Kejoro – had been nothing but nice to her. She should really give the others the benefit of the doubt.

A sharp gust of wind blew through the air, snatching a small handkerchief from her hands. She cursed silently and turned to follow it across the garden. Darn it. She came to a stop and put her hands on her hips, letting out a defeated sigh.

The damn handkerchief had landed right in the middle of the pond.

She clicked her tongue and cast her eyes around the garden. If she could just find something to fish it out, like a long broken branch...

Edging closer to the pond, she kept her eyes on the ground, occasionally looking up in vague hope the small, white square had managed to climb out on its own.

"You could just swim out and get it?"

Liana's eyes snapped to a small, hairy brown yokai.

"No, no..." She shook her head.

"The water's not bad, you know. And it's not that cold either."  
"I don't do swimming." She paced closer to the edge. "Maybe you could fetch it for me?"

The hairy yokai laughed. "I'd get my fur all wet!"  
"And I'd get my clothes all wet."

She sighed and looked over at the trees. There had to be a fallen branch somewhere. She glanced down at Weave. As usual, he was too busy watching her. He was no help at all.

"I thought all humans swam," The small yokai went on.

"Not me. I never liked it." She looked down at him. "The pools were often cold and the water smelled funny."

The little hairy yokai snickered. She wondered what part of that was amusing, but all too late she realised he wasn't looking at her.

There was a soft splash behind her, and before she could react two arms wrapped around her stomach and pulled her backwards into the pond. Water exploded around her as she was dragged below the surface.

Her limbs flailed helplessly as she strained to release herself from her assailant's grip, all the air rushing from her mouth in a stream of silent bubbles. Unwanted dark thoughts surfaced in her mind and she tried desperately to kick herself free. She was going to die...

Then, as suddenly as it had happened, she was dragged back up to the surface of the water. She gasped frantically for air and kicked out to reach the rocks, dragging herself back onto the grass. A slight tug at her neck caused her to spin sharply, but was released as the pocket watch swung free over the rocks.

There, smirking at her from the water, was Kappa.

Laughter erupted around the pond as several small, aquatic yokai fell about in fits of giggles. She couldn't believe it. Was she the brunt of some kind of sick joke?

She stumbled backwards away from the pond and clambered to her feet, barely aware of Weave as he tried to examine the watch. Dismissing the rabbit, she turned and fled towards the house.

Weave hesitated and looked back at Kappa before hopping after Liana.

"I don't think she found that as funny as we did," Said the small hairy yokai.

Kappa sighed and leant on the rocks, watching the human girl vanish through the open door. Clearly not. He should probably apologise.

* * *

"Oh my!" Wakana span to face Liana as she came to a halt, dripping wet, in the kitchen. She covered her mouth in surprise. "You're all wet! Did you fall in the pond?"  
Liana balled her fists and tried to control her erratic breathing. "I was dragged!"  
Yuki Onna and Kejoro joined her side, abandoning the pile of wet dishes next to the sink.

"You were dragged?" Kejoro asked slowly. "Into the pond?"  
Liana turned on her. "It's not rocket science!" A large drop of water ran down her nose and onto the floor as though to punctuate her point.

She took a step back as her body began to shake from head to foot. "It's all true isn't it? Those stories?"  
Yuki Onna exchanged glances with Kejoro. "Erm..."

"I mean anything could have happened!" Liana leant against the work top. "He could have done anything to me! I could have died!"  
Weave's ears twitched and he looked over to the doorway.

"What do you mean, Liana?" Yuki Onna asked.

Liana turned to look at her. "Well aren't Kappa supposed to find humans a tasty snack? And... erm... enjoy... taking advantage of women?" The sheer thought pushed bile up into her throat as she shoved intrusive memories to the back of her mind.

A look of confusion crossed Yuki Onna's face. "Taking advantage?"

Kejoro lowered her head to whisper something to her. Yuki Onna covered her mouth and blushed.

Liana watched Weave strut over to the kitchen door and peer around the door frame. A shudder racked her body and she closed her eyes.

"I don't think he'd do that," Wakana told her. She dropped the sponge into the sink and wiped her hands on a tea towel. "He was probably just playing with you."

"Hmm." Liana pursed her lips. "Probably?" It was a vague word that didn't sit well with her.

"You really shouldn't take those stories so seriously. Yokai really aren't as evil as those stories make out."  
"Well we are evil," Yuki Onna smiled. "We like scaring humans. It's what we were born to do. But we don't go around hurting them."

"Some do though." Kejoro picked up a plate to dry it. "But none of them are here."

Wakana gave Liana a warm smile before turning back to the sink. "Rikuo's father was half yokai you know."

Liana's heart flipped inside her chest. Maybe she'd been wrong? A sinking feeling almost pushed her to the floor and she gripped the side of the worktop. So that was another apology she owed Kappa now. She'd overreacted... twice.

"You should change," Kejoro told her. "You look like you're catching a chill."

Liana looked down at her wet clothes. Her eye fell on the pocket watch. She quickly examined it. It was still ticking, not a drop of water in sight. Was that even possible? She looked down at her clothes again. The area where the pocket watch rested against her stomach was completely dry.

She sighed and pushed herself away from the kitchen worktop. She really should change out of her wet clothes.

"Would you like me to walk you to your room?" Wakana asked.

Liana looked up at her and nodded. After the shock she'd had, and the fuss she'd made, an escort would be nice.

She looked back at Yuki Onna and Kejoro.

"I'm sorry for making such a fuss."

"Don't worry about it." Kejoro gave a dismissive wave of the tea towel. "You're only human."

Liana smiled at them before following Wakana out of the kitchen. Weave plodded along behind them as they made their way to Liana's room.

"Your outfit is dry now," Wakana told her. "I've put it in your room along with some other things."

She opened the door. There, next to the bed, was a small pile of clean, dry clothes topped with a hairbrush. She thanked Wakana earnestly and watched as she left the room. She then picked out the outfit she'd landed in – a pair of bootleg jeans, a black t-shirt with a neon green pattern decorating the front, and a black jacket with a yellow and green trim. All had been folded neatly and placed on top of a blue and white yukata. Within seconds, Wakana was back at the door.

"I understand if you feel like you need some space," She said, "So if you like, rest until dinner."

"I think I will, thank you."

Wakana nodded then vanished around the door.

Liana changed quickly into her comfortable, familiar clothes then fell back onto the sleeping mat. She could barely believe that it hadn't even been forty eight hours since she arrived here. She flicked the watch open, still not even certain if it was correct. If it was, it was only three in the afternoon. She sighed. Having some space had seemed very tempting, but she had no personal belongings with her. However, she was too nervous to go walking around the house or gardens just yet. She closed her eyes and sighed. Maybe some quiet time would help her to organise her thoughts.

* * *

A soft knock at the door dragged Liana out of her light slumber. She sat up and hesitated briefly before dragging herself to her feet and opening it.

Yuki Onna stood there and her worried expression was replaced by a friendly smile.

"I wondered if you wanted me to walk you to dinner?"  
"Oh!" Liana quickly looked out of the window. The sun was setting already. "Am I late?"  
"Not really, we're just starting."

Liana shut the door after herself and followed the female yokai down into the dining room. Despite trying to organise her thoughts and feelings, she was still very anxious to place herself in a large crowd of yokai.

The dinner hall was bustling just like it had been the previous day. She stuck as close as she could to Yuki Onna as she weaved through the crowd to join Aotabo, Kurotabo and Kubinashi. She swallowed drily as she sat down, casting an eye around the room for any other familiar faces.

"Where are Rikuo and Kejoro?" She asked.

"Rikuo is out with his friends," Said Yuki Onna. "And Kejoro is in the kitchen helping Lady Wakana."

"That means you'll have to be our token human!" Aotabo gave her a friendly pat on the back.

Liana cowered down in a vain attempt to dodge his large hand. When she looked up at him, he appeared a little rejected.

"S-sorry," She stuttered, "I'm not the touchy-feely type."

He shrugged and handed her a glass of juice.

As the group fell into conversation, she found herself drifting. She glanced around the room, taking in the various unusual faces and straining to overhear conversations. No one was mentioning her, which was reassuring she guessed. There was also no sign of Kappa. She needed to apologise to him at some point.

With a sigh, she finished her meal and stood up with the plate.

"You can leave that," Yuki Onna told her. "I forgot to tell you, you've been let off duties for the rest of the day."

Liana looked down at her. "Why?"

"Lady Wakana thought it would be better if you rested. She thinks you might still be upset."

Liana nodded slowly. "Well, I did jump to conclusions... I think I owe Kappa an apology really."

Yuki Onna glanced up at the ceiling in thought, then gave a curt nod. "Maybe."

"Do you know where he might be?"

Yuki Onna quickly cast her eyes over the room. "If he's not here then maybe the pond." She shrugged. "Or Bakenekoya."

Liana felt her heart speed up. She unconsciously put the plate back down and took a hesitant step into the crowd.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

She turned to find Yuki Onna behind her.

The yokai shrugged. "You know, as moral support."

Liana nodded. "That would be a comfort actually."

Together, they left the dining room and stepped out into the garden. It was quiet, which meant all the yokai were either still inside the house or away. The entire garden was cast in moonlit shadows and was deathly quiet. The only sounds were those of her clock and the muffled ticking coming from Weave. It gave Liana a very unsettling feeling.

"If you're nervous, you can always do this tomorrow," Yuki Onna suggested.

Liana shook her head. "No. It'd give me a clearer conscience if I just got it out of the way." She rubbed her hands together as she looked over at the pond. "It also might be better if I go alone. I don't want it to look like you're forcing me into it."

Yuki Onna shrugged. "I could wait here. At least that way, you know someone's nearby cheering you on." She gave her a girlish smile.

Liana frowned. "You're making it seem like highschool." She sighed. "Okay. You wait here." She looked down at the rabbit. "You too, Weave."

With her heart in her throat, she turned and left Yuki Onna and the Weaver of Fates waiting in the shadow of a tree. She slowly approached the pond, and when she reached the edge she crouched down and peered in. It seemed empty and still, the moonlight dancing off the silvery surface.

She took a breath to call out, but words froze in her mouth. Footsteps crunched across the grass towards her, then sped up.

All wind was knocked out of her as someone tackled her to the ground, grabbing both her wrists and pinning them firmly above her head. She let out a yell and forced her eyes to focus. Kappa was crouched over her, searching her with hungry eyes. She struggled against him, trying to kick him off, but his position made it impossible.

A flood of intrusive memories surged through her mind and she closed her eyes tight to hold back tears.

"What? Are you scared?" His voice had an eeriness laced to it that sent chills through her body.

He shifted his weight and she flinched, bracing herself for the inevitable. Instead, he released her and pushed himself to his feet.

Instinctively, she opened her eyes. He looked back down at her with an expression that would be burned into her for the rest of her life.

"I don't know why your so surprised," He said, "It's what you expect of me, isn't it?" With those words, he launched himself into the pond with a violent splash.

Liana covered her face with her hands as all repressed memories leaked out as tears. She barely heard the approaching footsteps and voices over her own anguished cries.

* * *

Ahh Liana... jumping to conclusions... She's not doing too well is she?

Please R&R!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N - well, I've been working on Chapter 16 for a couple of days now. I keep getting writer's block... it's irritating.

This chapter should explain some stuff. Also, from now on things really pick up =D

Disclaimer - I do NOT own Nurarihyon no Mago/Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan or any of it's characters!

* * *

5

"Liana! Liana!"

The frantic voice cut through the sound of her own sobs, drawing Liana out of the spiralling darkness of her mind. She removed her hands from her face and looked up into Yuki Onna's worried eyes. Weave stood next to her, fixing Liana with his button eyes.

"Come on," The yokai said. "Let's go back inside."

Liana felt a hand on her shoulder and she was guided to her feet. She followed Yuki Onna back to the house, not daring to look back at the pond. Everything was silent once more, the soft ticking the only sound in the garden. The house felt miles away, but once inside Liana fought back tears as Yuki Onna led her into a quiet sitting room.

"Dinner is probably still going on," Yuki Onna told her. "If you wait here, I'll ask Lady Wakana to ma-"  
"No." Liana hugged herself and glanced out of the window.

A look of puzzlement crossed Yuki Onna's youthful face.

"I don't want an audience," Said Liana. "If Wakana sees me she'll only ask what's wrong." She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes.

"Well..." Yuki Onna glanced at the door. "I can make us some tea. Wait here, I won't be long."

Liana watched the door close behind the yokai then let out a long sigh, hiding her face in her hands. What just happened felt like a nightmare. Nothing made any sense. If this was what 're-weaving her fate' was like, she questioned if it was even worth it. It seemed no matter what world she was going to be dumped in, life was hard and cruel and filled with wicked people... or monsters.

They were everywhere, inescapable.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when Yuki Onna returned. A tea tray was placed between them with a clatter, followed by a small cup of green tea.

"Are you feeling better?"  
Liana didn't look up. She sipped her tea and fixed her eyes on the Weaver of Fates sitting on her left, his button eyes wandering around the room.

"I think he must have overheard you," Yuki Onna said slowly. "That was rather out of character for him, actually."

Liana stared into her teacup. "I want to leave."

Yuki Onna paused. "Where would you go?"

Liana shrugged. "Anywhere. Somewhere away from here."

"Well... you could talk to Rikuo but I don't think it's possible."

Liana snorted. "Because I'm a prisoner."

"The problem is, you said yourself you have nothing to your name. At least here, 'prisoner' or not, at least there's a roof over your head."

"And creatures that hate me."

"I don't hate you. Neither do Kejoro, Rikuo or Aotabo. Granted, most yokai here aren't comfortable living with a strange, unrelated human, but they'll get used to it."

"They don't need to," Liana said flatly. "I want to leave."

Yuki Onna inclined her head on one side and fixed her with a scrutinizing gaze. "This isn't just about Kappa frightening you is it?"

Liana placed her cup on the tray and stood. "I need a lie down."

The yokai nodded and followed Liana out of the room.

When she reached her room, she looked back at Yuki Onna. "I just want to be alone for a while. See you tomorrow... unless Weave takes me somewhere else."

She looked down at Weave who did nothing but silently stare back at her through his mask. With a sigh she let the door slide shut and fell onto the mat, where tears claimed her once more.

* * *

Liana's dreams were plagued with nightmares. She launched herself down narrow corridors, desperately trying to open any door she passed but each one was locked. The looming shadows raced after her, grabbing at her limbs and slowing her down. Her heart pounded in her chest, her body covered with a cold sweat, eyes streaked with blurry tears.

A thumping sound came from beyond one of the doors. She reached for it, but just like the others it refused to open, refused to let her out.

_Knock knock knock!  
_Liana sat up, the momentum sending the light sheet across the room. Her eyes shot to the door. The knocking had been real...

She fought to control her breathing and racing heart, and brushed her damp hair back from her face as she dragged herself back to reality.

Taking a deep breath, she approached the door and slid it open a crack.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Rikuo asked from the other side.

Liana shrugged. "Yes, but I was only dozing."

The boy hesitated for a moment, running a hand through his hair. "Do you mind if I come in?"

A sudden chill ran over her and her mouth felt dry. Did he know? She licked her lips and glanced behind her at the window before stepping aside and sliding the door fully open, returning to the mat and sitting down next to it. She hugged her knees to her chest, making herself look as small as she felt.

Rikuo sat cross-legged opposite her. "I spoke to Yuki Onna."

Liana resisted the urge to bury her face into her knees, biting back a groan.

"She said you want to leave."

A pause passed between them. When he didn't add anything, Liana gave a small nod.

"She also told me why," He went on. "Although I did have to pull it out of her." He sighed. "I'm afraid we can't just let you go. The elders here wouldn't be happy about it. But we can't keep having problems like this either."

An awkward silence filled the air, made all the more longer by the slow ticking of her watch. She could feel Weave's persistent gaze from across the room and wished he'd just whisk her away back into that empty blackness.

Finally, Rikuo's voice shattered the silence. "I have an idea what's happened, but it might be worth hearing your side of the story."

She fixed him with an emerald gaze. Then, releasing her grip on her legs, took a deep breath to clear her head. She told him everything, speaking slowly so as not to miss any details. Starting from the moment she woke up and was told to entertain his friends, the stories she read, being dragged into the pond, ending with the disaster of her attempted apology. When she finally finished, she gripped her knees to stop her hands from shaking.

Rikuo nodded slowly. "Well it fits what Yuki Onna told me. And I agree with her that it does sound like you've hurt his feelings."

Liana stared at the wall, wishing the ground would swallow her up. It was obvious, she didn't need it spelling out for her.

"Those stories Kiyotsugu showed you," Said Rikuo, "They're legends and folklore. Some might hold some truth, but think of it this way. If you saw a news article about an old man stealing a car, you'd think nothing of it. Then the next day, you see another article about another old man stealing a car. Then another a couple of days later. Would you then think that every old man was a car thief?"

As ridiculous as it sounded, Rikuo had a point. Propaganda did blow things hugely out of proportion. She'd just fallen into the idea that all those stories were true, or at least relevant to all yokai.

She sighed. "You're right."

"You two have got off to a terrible start." Rikuo laughed and stood up. "Well, I need to speak to Kappa too if I can find him."

"Has he gone missing?"

"The last we heard, he was hiding at the bottom of the pond refusing to come out." Rikuo shrugged. "He'll speak to me. Anyway, I'll leave you to get some rest. Have a think about what I've said. Don't make any hasty decisions, and if you really wish to leave, I'll speak to the elders."

She nodded and thanked him. When the door finally shut, she climbed onto the mat and lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. With any luck, Weave would take her away. Leaving the Nura House in her current situation would probably be a bad move, a tempting one but bad non the less.

She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes. Unfortunately, her wandering thoughts wouldn't allow her to sleep.

* * *

"Well well, Liana. Quite the pickle you've found yourself in."

Liana's eyes flew open. The voice had seemed to come from right in her mind. She sat up, eyes searching the room. Weave's paws flailed as he tried to hold on to her watch, but she swatted him away, climbing to her feet.

"Oh come now! Hitting an innocent animal, what are you?" A chuckle. "Although you do have to ask what it wants with that watch?"

Liana froze. There, in the corner of the room, was a girl her own age leaning against the wall, her arms folded across her chest giving her an air of nonchalance. Liana rubbed her eyes and looked again. She was still stood there, her green eyes fixed on her own. Everything about her screamed 'twin' down to her choice of clothes.

"Who are you?" Liana asked.

The girl shrugged. "Only you can answer that. The biggest question you have to ask yourself, Liana, is who are you?"

Liana opened her mouth to speak, but words failed her.

The girl's face split into a sinister grin. "You've no idea, have you?" She spread her arms. "Your past speaks for itself. Like any human, your life constructs you. You can't escape it, each event makes you into what you are."

Liana shook her head violently.

"And here you are trying to 're-weave' your fate." The girl tutted. "Despicable."

"Leave me alone!" Liana raced from the room.

Heavy footsteps followed after her. She closed her eyes and stumbled down the stairs, hitting the bottom with a thud. Scrambling to her feet, she fled for the door. The cold night air enveloped her as she burst out onto the grass.

"You wont get very far."

Her eyes snapped up to the cherry blossom tree. The girl sat in its branches, fixing her with a wicked leer.

"They'll only find you." She laughed. "They'll probably kill you as well."

Liana's heart almost broke through her ribs. With a yell, she tore her gaze away from the tree and launched herself across the garden. Weave intersected her and jumped to grab the watch. She swatted him away, sending him rolling ears over tail across the grass. When he sat up, he fixed his button eyes on hers, a wicked, sharp-toothed grin spreading across his face.

She opened her mouth to scream, but all that came out was a feeble whine. Her knees gave way and she scrambled backwards across the grass. Laughter filled the air as the girl in the branches jeered and pointed at her.

* * *

Loud thumps and thuds dragged Kappa from his slumber. Something was going on in the garden. Rising to the surface, he peered out across the grass.

It was the human girl.

With a sigh, he slowly sank into the water.

Wait... Something wasn't right.

The girl scrambled backwards across the grass, lashing out at her strange rabbit companion. She yelled a series of incoherent words before struggling to her feet and yelling at the cherry blossom tree.

Something needed to be done before she woke up the entire Nura clan. He flicked his hand, sending a torrent of water raining down on the human girl.

She shook her head and two green eyes snapped onto his. Her eyes widened and she took a step back, her entire body shaking. The rabbit pulled something from its jacket and reached for her watch. She swatted him away, closing her eyes as though trying to block out some kind of living nightmare.

It hadn't worked. Well, he could rule out 'sleepwalking'.

The rabbit was desperate to reach the watch, ignoring the girl's flailing arms and taking each strike in its stride. Kappa had seen the rabbit give her that watch, and it had seemed concerned about it when he'd pulled her into the water, even though he'd not let the watch get wet. The rabbit froze and turned to fix him with its artificial eyes. It lingered on him for a moment, before looking back at the girl. Whatever it wanted to do, it was too small to do it alone.

Kappa dragged himself from the water and approached the girl. Her eyes filled with fear and she moved backwards away from him, raising her arms to her chest. He took slow steps towards her and raised his hands, but before he could voice any reassurance she charged at him. Her palm hit him square in the chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying backwards across the grass. She raced past him without so much as a glance back.

He pushed himself up and brushed his hair back from his face. Where had that strength come from? He looked over at her. She'd come to a stop, backing away from something... great, she was hallucinating.

Something moved next to him. He looked down at the grey and white, oddly dressed rabbit. It glanced at him, then at the girl. Kappa pushed himself to his feet and braced himself. In two quick leaps, he grabbed the girl's arms and pulled her backwards on top of him. She let out a yell of surprise.

Within seconds, the rabbit was on top of her, watch in one paw and key in the other. The girl's panicked yells came to a stop, replaced with the soft grating as the rabbit wound the watch. She slowly came to her senses, then jumped, dragging herself from his grip and rolling away, sending Weave to the floor in the process.

She fixed two livid green eyes on his. "What are you doing?!"

"Helping!" He stood up and looked away from her.

The soft grating filled the air again. Then the girl spoke.

"Why am I outside?"

He looked down at her. She was staring at the garden as though seeing it for the first time. Footsteps echoed across the grass. The commotion must have reached the sleeping yokai.

"You seemed to be hallucinating," He told her. "It seems to be linked to that watch you wear. You should take better care of it."

He turned and marched to his pond.

"The watch?" There was a pause, then the girl gasped. "You took my sanity?!"

He span to look back at her. The question had been directed at the rabbit. The girl stood, placing her head in her hands. The watch hung open around her neck, swinging lightly like a pendulum. The rabbit stood next her, looking completely unfazed.

"What's going on?" Rikuo came to a halt beside them, Yuki Onna and Aotabo at his side.

"Nothing." The girl snapped the watch shut and turned back to the house. "I was having a nightmare and sleepwalked. I'm fine now."

Rikuo looked up at him. "Kappa?"  
Before he could answer, the girl cut him off.

"He... snapped me out of it." She spread her arms. "That's why I'm wet."

Kappa stared at her. So she lies. Well, not many people would believe a watch could control someone's sanity... He caught Rikuo's eye and nodded, then dived back into his pond.

* * *

Liana stormed back into her room, Weave hopping along behind her. When the door had closed, she turned on him.

"You took my sanity?" She hissed. "Is that what the countdown is for? Every twenty four hours, I go mad?"

The rabbit silently stared at her.

"And why do you keep the key? Do I have to rely on you to keep me sane and wind it?!"

Stare.

She let out a long groan and fell onto the mat. No fond memories. All she had left was her sanity. It should have been obvious.

She wanted to change her fate, and had paid the price. The Weaver of Fates takes something important to you in return for his help.

One ominous question floated to the front of her mind. What would happen when she had to give him back?

* * *

Please R&R =D


	6. Chapter 6

A/N - Whew! Sorry for the delay! I'm trying to stay well ahead in my writing and I've FINALLY finished chapter 16 after like 2 weeks... too many distractions... Maybe I should cut down on my gaming?

Thank you to all who have followed, faved and reviewed! I can assure you I read all reviews and I appreciate each one =D

Disclaimer - I do NOT own Nurarihyon no Mago/Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan or any of it's characters!

* * *

6

Liana stacked another freshly dried plate onto the rapidly growing pile. Breakfast had been and gone, and she'd almost finished the morning dishes with Yuki Onna, Kejoro and Wakana. Weave watched silently from the far corner, almost blending in to the background.

After grabbing an hour's sleep, Liana was feeling oddly awake and in full form, though she hadn't dismissed the fact she was running on backup energy and would probably crash soon. However, make the most of it.

News had spread throughout the clan that she'd been sleepwalking. When she was questioned about it at breakfast, a cold chill shot down her spine. She hated lying, and she'd been doing a lot of it lately. But who would believe her, yokai or not, that her pocket watch controlled her sanity? It was too hard to swallow, even for her.

But Kappa had believed her, he'd pointed it out...

He'd also helped her...

She glanced out of the kitchen door at the hallway. The sun was leaking in, warming the large wooden house. Once again, he'd not been in the dining hall. She was beginning to think he was actively avoiding her, but who could blame him?

"Are you okay Liana?"

She looked up at Wakana. She was watching her from the sink, drying her hands on a tea towel.

"I'm fine, I was just thinking."

"You have been rather quiet," Said Kejoro. "Anyone would think you were daydreaming." She failed to hide a smile that suggested her comment was far from innocent.

"No, I just..." Liana sighed. "It really bothers me that I've made a bad impression with certain members of the clan. If I'm going to be staying here for a while I should try to fix things."  
"Plural?" Kejoro looked down at her and put her hands on her hips. "Seriously? Who else have you annoyed?"

"I don't know." Liana leant against the kitchen worktop. "But it wouldn't surprise me if I'd upset someone else as well."

Kejoro picked up a plate and whisked the tea towel over it. "Well if you want to fix things, I'd start with Kappa."

"But he won't leave his pond will he?"

Kejoro shrugged. "Something makes me think he'll talk to you. He did help you last night, right?"

"Then why avoid the dinner hall?"

"Maybe he doesn't want to make a scene?" Said Yuki Onna.

Liana almost dropped a plate. "Oh that's comforting!"

"Well you can't avoid each other forever," Said Kejoro. "The sooner you patch things up the better."

"Kejoro's right," Said Wakana. "The longer you leave things, the harder they'll be to fix."

"I suppose." Liana ran the towel through her fingers. "What would make a good peace offering?"

"Peace offering?" Kejoro raised an eyebrow.

Yuki Onna chuckled. "He probably wouldn't say no to a cucumber."

"Top shelf." Wakana nodded to the fridge.

The final dishes were dried and put away in no time. Liana soon found herself leaving the kitchen with Weave in tow and cucumber in hand.

When her eyes fell on the pond, her heart shot into her throat and she stalled, glancing back at the house. Breakfast was over and small yokai were playing in the garden, climbing up the patio support beams, skipping along the roof or watching her with curious eyes. Yuki Onna's voice echoed in her head; '_maybe he doesn't want to make a scene?_'

This would be a lot easier without an audience.

She swallowed audibly and paced slowly over to to the pond. The cherry blossom tree blew in a gentle breeze, scattering pink petals across the garden and the surface of the water. Liana crouched a foot or two from the edge and peered in. She couldn't see anything beneath the clear surface. Maybe he wasn't there?

She sighed. The only way to find out if someone was home was to knock, but she couldn't knock on the water. She glanced her surroundings and spotted a stone. If she threw one in, that might get his attention... or she might hit someone. There was really only one other option.

She took a calming breath and yelled into the pond.

"Kappa!" Pause. "Are you there?"

Something moved beneath the surface and the feeling of being watched washed over her. She fought the urge to run away and gathered herself.

"I want to talk to you," She continued. "Come out."

A long silence fell across the pond, the surface once again becoming motionless. Liana let out a sigh, resigning herself to the fact he clearly didn't want to speak to her. She stood up and took a step back towards the house.

There was a splash. Lina looked back at the pond. Kappa's big brown eyes stared fiercely back at her, water cascading down from his shell and extending out into ripples around him. She almost gave up altogether, but Kejoro was right. It was now or never.

"Erm..." She faced him and crouched down again. "I, uh... bought you this." She held out the cucumber.

His eyes snapped to the vegetable, then in one swift movement he reached out of the water with a paw similar to a terrapin's and snatched it from her.

She stifled a yell and fell onto her bottom. She hadn't seem him this close up in daylight. She watched him cautiously, expecting him to vanish back into the water without a word, but he fixed his eyes on hers once more and she could almost hear his thoughts urging her to just get it over with. She crossed her legs and placed her hands in her lap, thinking over her words carefully.

"I... want to thank you for helping me last night."

Silence.

"And... apologise... for pushing you in the thorns... and assuming you're... you know... evil." She looked down at her hands. "Sorry."  
He rolled his eyes. "Is that all?"

"Well, I want to fix things. If I'm going to be staying here for a while we can't hate each other."  
"So you hate me."

Her eyes widened. "No! I..." She looked up at him. He wasn't looking at her any more, instead staring past her. "I worded that wrong! I meant-"

"It's okay." He looked at her briefly. "I don't expect humans to like me."  
She sighed. "I can't fix this can I?"

He didn't answer.

She pushed herself to her feet and stuffed her hands in her pockets. "Well I tried." She turned away and headed back to the house.

A splash behind her told her he'd vanished back into the water. Her heart sank. She'd really expected him to accept her apology. She slumped back to the house, Weave following silently behind her.

* * *

Liana went back up to her room to change. She'd been in a loose shirt and pants all morning while her clothes dried from the night before. They hadn't been especially bad, and had dried over breakfast. She swiftly changed and as she turned to leave the room, her eyes fell on a back pack leaning against the wall. It was blue and padded, and made from some kind of plastic.

"Mum picked that up."

She looked up. Rikuo was standing in the doorway.

"It's water resistant," He told her. "She thought you'd appreciate it as an inside joke, because you keep getting yourself wet." He smiled.

Liana chuckled. "It was very thoughtful."

"We thought you could use it today." He inclined his head on one side. "Would you like to come out with me and my friends? It'll be a change of scenery, and you've probably not seen much of the town."

Her eyes widened. "I'd love to!"

He looked down at the bag. "I think it's big enough for Weave, don't you?"

"Why Weave?" Liana looked down at the rabbit. He looked back at her with that ever present stare.

"Well I think the local people here wouldn't take too well to seeing a soft toy walking around, and I can't imagine you'd want to carry him all afternoon?"

Liana scratched her nose. "No... not really."

"If you're ready, we can head down now? We're meeting by the main gate." He turned and left.

Liana opened the bag. It was spacious inside, and would certainly fit Weave quite comfortably. She looked over at him.

"Would you mind travelling in here for the day?"

He didn't answer, or move.

She considered picking him up, but for some reason the thought frightened her. She still didn't know what he was capable of, if anything. Instead, she nudged the bag towards him.

"Please? If you're wanting to follow me, it's the safest option."

His button eyes fixed on the bag. Then, slowly, he climbed into it, pulling the zipper shut over his head.

Liana stood and stared down at the back pack. "Well, that was easier than I expected." She picked it up and threw it over her back, almost sending herself toppling backwards. "Good grief, I forgot how heavy you are!"

She trotted down the stairs with a new found enthusiasm, making a beeline for the front door. She was only aware how quickly she was moving when a blonde man turned into the hallway and she almost crashed into him. She looked up into a pair of very unimpressed red eyes. A sneer cut across his young face.

'_Quick, be charming._' She grinned and let out an innocent laugh.

The man tutted and pushed past her. "Stupid humans! Why he's hanging around with them I'll never know."

Well that brought her high spirits crashing back down. She strutted out of the house and headed towards the gate. Rikuo was already there with Yuki Onna as Tsurara and Aotabo as Kurata. The garden was quiet, clearly anticipating the arrival of Rikuo's eccentric friends.

"Are they meeting us here?" She asked.

"Yes, they're normally early." Rikuo checked his watch. "So they'll be here any time now."

Kurata crossed his arms as something caught his eye. "They're not the only ones."

The others followed his gaze. Someone was heading towards them with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, Kappa!" Rikuo grinned. "You decided to join us after all?"

Kappa glanced at him then looked away with a shrug.

Liana shifted her weight from foot to foot. He looked incredibly different in casual clothes, and had replaced his shell with a pair of large headphones. She diverted her attention to the area outside the gates, hoping to spot Rikuo's friends. She had a feeling things were going to be incredibly awkward.

Relief came in the form of several voices followed by a group of teenagers rounding the corner onto the street. Rikuo beamed and led Liana and the yokai-in-disguise to meet his school friends before they reached the gate.

"Are you seriously going to wear that all day?" Saori asked Kiyotsugu, indicating his overstuffed backpack complete with shovel.

"But of course! The Kiyojuji Paranormal Patrol must always be prepared!" The boy wagged a finger at her. "You never know when you're going to run into yokai!"

The three yokai exchanged glances.

Rikuo laughed. "Oh you aren't going to find any during the day."

"You never know! They might be walking amongst us!"

Saori sighed. "Let's just go shopping."

They turned to walk back the way the group had come, leading out onto a main road. Liana stuck close to Natsume and Saori while Kana and Tsurara walked on either side of Rikuo. Shima and Kiyotsugu walked a couple of paces ahead of them and Kurata and Kappa took up the rear.

While the girls discussed school and Rikuo giggled somewhat nervously at Tsurara and Kana's interactions, Liana began to feel rather out of place. It was true she was older than Rikuo and his friends, but she had expected to fit in a bit better than she did with the yokai clan. The voices around her became mere background noise as her mind wandered over the past couple of days. She was snapped out of her reverie when Natsume let out a sharp squeal of delight.

Liana followed the girl's gaze to a shop window. Colourful accessories and hair pieces filled the display, decorating elaborate mannequins. The shop's mascot - a bright yellow cat - was propped up in the window advertising a summer sale.

Tsurara joined her side and clapped her hands together. "Ahh! There's a scarf with kittens on it!"

Liana looked over at the yokai. She wasn't sure if she was being serious or putting on a façade to blend in.

"Ahh! That's so cute, Oikawa!" Shima said to Tsurara.

"We should go in," Said Saori. "Shall we meet you boys somewhere later?"

Rikuo looked thoughtful for a moment. "We could meet at the ice cream parlour?"

Tsurara turned to him. "Ooh I love ice cream!"

Liana looked from the girls back to Rikuo. "Where will you guys go?"

Rikuo shrugged. "There's an arcade nearby."

"Great!" Kiyotsugu fistpumped the air. "We can acquire strategies for our yokai hunting! You girls should come with us!"

"No thanks, I'm going to window shop." Saori opened the shop door. "See you in..."

"Half an hour." Rikuo waved at them and the boys left, Kiyotsugu chattering away beside him.

Liana followed after the girls, eyes scanning over the shop's merchandise. Everything was colourful and decorated with cute patterns and animals. The shop's mascot adorned a lot of the accessories and was even available as a bag. She had to admit, the products were delightful. If she'd had any money, she would have bought a key chain for her bag.

"Are you going to buy the scarf, Tsurara?" Natsume asked.

"I don't think so." The yokai laughed. "I don't know when I'd wear it!"

"We'll you're always wearing a winter scarf," Kana told her. "You should wear a summer one when it's hot."

Tsurara frowned at the girl, and it was swiftly returned.

"I don't need fashion tips off you," She snorted.

Liana decided to move to a different part of the shop before the claws came out. Natsume was just leaving the cashier and hollered to them as she left the shop. The group gathered outside. It had only been ten minutes.

"We could go and get ice cream early," Tsurara suggested, somewhat hopeful.

"We could, I guess." Saori shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt to have a girly natter while we wait for the boys to show up."  
The others agreed, and Liana followed behind them next to Tsurara.

"You don't seem happy," The yokai told her quietly. "Aren't you comfortable around humans?"

Liana shrugged. "I just don't know what to talk about, I don't go to school."

"Oh..." Yuki Onna pursed her lips. "I didn't think of that."

"What do you do to fit in with them?"

"Well usually I go to school with Rikuo, but it's the summer vacation now." She smiled. "I guess that's out of the question for you?"

Liana nodded. "Yes. I might be short, but I still don't look thirteen."

She followed the group into an ice cream parlour. The outside had a pink awning over the door and a giant plastic ice cream beside it. The small parlour also had outdoor seating.

"We should grab a window booth," Said Saori. "Who wants to claim one?"

"I will." Liana raised a hand.

"Okay." Saori smiled. "I'll order for you, what do you want?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, thank you."

"Are you sure?"

"Really." She smiled and turned away, swiftly claiming a free booth by the window.

She let her eyes wander to the view of the street, various people going about their day and cars slowly bumbling along in the summer sun. She was barely aware when someone sat opposite her.

"You look lonely."

She looked up. Two blue eyes peered back at her from beneath a head of white, floppy hair. She sat up, pushing herself away from the table. She opened her mouth to declare the seats were reserved, but words faltered when the gentleman gave her a warm smile. He looked over at the girls waiting in line.

"Are those your friends?"

"Yes." Liana gave him a smile back. "I'm reserving this booth."

"I see." He looked back at her. "Is there room for one more?"

"Well..." She laughed and rubbed the back of her head. "We need to fit a few more on here actually. We're meeting some friends here."

"This normally fits eight." He pointed at the empty booth behind them. "You might want to reserve that one too."

Liana glanced back at the empty booth and considered placing her bag on one of the seats.

"It probably wouldn't be a good idea to put your bag on it though," The man told her. She automatically looked back at him. "Someone might swipe it." He smiled again. "I'm Shiro."

"Liana." She clasped her hands on her lap.

The girls joined the table, each one carrying a small bowl of ice cream. They faltered when they saw the white-haired man. He beamed at them and stood to let the girls slide along the bench to the window. Tsurara eyed him curiously before joining the others in the booth.

"Who's your friend?" Saori asked, scooting Liana along.

"This is Shiro," She answered. "We just met."

Shiro looked from one girl to the next before looking back at Liana. "I'm going to get an ice cream. Liana, can I get you anything?"

Liana raised her hands. "It's okay. Really."

"I insist," Said Shiro. "My treat. What would you like... oh!" He snapped his fingers. "I know. I'll be right back." He turned and headed to the counter.

Saori turned slowly to look at Liana. "You sly vixen, you."

Liana's face dropped. "Hey. He approached me."

"He's so pretty!" Kana exclaimed. "I wonder if his hair colour's natural?"

"Yeh," Said Saori. "Or if he kills it with peroxide?"

"Hey guys!" Rikuo joined the table with the boys close behind him. He indicated a black haired girl. "Liana, this is Yura Keikain."

The quiet girl looked at her and gave a small wave, before gazing back over at the ice cream counter.

"Hey guess what," Saori grinned. "Liana's made a friend."

"What kind of friend?"

"The charming albino over there." She nodded at Shiro who was currently chatting to the lady behind the counter.

The boys followed her gaze.

Kurata grunted. "Looks like he could charm the birds from the trees."  
Kappa nodded.

Yura made a thoughtful noise and sat across from Liana, keeping one eye on the white-haired boy.

Rikuo rallied his friends over to the counter to order. Kappa held back and claimed the empty booth behind Liana.

"Don't you want anything?" Rikuo called back.

He shook his head and pulled a book out of his bag.

Yura watched the boys leave then looked up at Liana. "Rikuo says you're a family friend from England?"

A spark went off in Liana's mind. She'd almost forgot. That was what Rikuo's friends had been told.

She nodded. "Yes, I'm here indefinitely."

"Your Japanese is remarkable."  
"Thank you." Liana was snapped out of her conversation as a massive sundae was placed in front of her.

"You're welcome." Shiro grinned and sat down next to Yura.

Liana stared at the giant fudge sundae. "Wow I... erm..."

Shiro chuckled. "Don't worry, it's for sharing."

Saori, Kana and Natsume stifled giggles. Liana sighed. She would have rolled her eyes at her friends behaving like high school students... except they were.

Shiro clearly became aware of Yura's eyes on him. He looked over at her and handed her the other spoon.

Yura's eyes widened. "I wasn't planning on eating anything."

"I insist."

"What about you?"

The boy folded his hands behind his head. "I'm not that fond of ice cream."  
With a shrug, Yura took the other spoon and gave Liana a look to check it was okay. Liana nodded and they both tucked in.

"So you're not from Japan," Shiro said. "How long have you been here?"

Liana swallowed a mouthful of ice cream. "A few days."

"And you're staying with..." Shiro pointed to Nura's back.

Liana nodded. "Family friends."

Shiro smiled. A brief silence fell between them. The girls were nattering amongst themselves except Yura and Tsurara.

Shiro leant back in his chair. "I've never been outside Japan."

Rikuo rejoined them with an exclamation that was drowned out by Kiyotsugu. The eccentric boy joined Kappa and Kurata in the booth behind them, kneeling so he could lean over the back of the chair.

"So Liana's met Miss Keikain!" He gave Liana a pat on the back. She flinched visibly and her spoon hit the table with a clatter. The boy didn't seem to notice her discomfort. "Miss Keikain is another proud member of the Kiyojuji Paranormal Patrol!" He paused to lick his ice cream.  
Saori and Natsume groaned.

"What's with the elaborate bag?" Shiro pointed to Kiyotsugu's backpack.

"What this?" The boy looked from his bag to Shiro. "This is the best equipment for hunting yokai!"  
Shiro raised an eyebrow.

Saori's eye twitched. "Gah! Do you have to talk about this in public?"

Rikuo laughed. "Can we talk about something else?"

Shiro ignored him. "Yokai hunting?" He smiled and closed his eyes. "My parents were killed by yokai."

Liana almost spat out her ice cream.

The table fell silent.

"Really?" She asked.

He nodded. "I was just a boy, not even five. It happened right before my eyes."

Kiyotsugu went wide-eyed. "What?! You actually saw yokai?!" He slid down the back of the chair. "Why does everyone see yokai but me?!"

Shima nudged him with an elbow.

"Count yourself lucky," Shiro told him. "It wasn't a pretty sight."

Yura licked her spoon. "Were they Oni?"

Shiro shook his head. "Not at all. Just your typical common yokai." He paused. "A couple of kappa entered my house to 'bargain' with my father to hand over my mother. He retaliated so they killed the both of them."

"But what about you?" Kiyotsugu pleaded. "They let you live?"

"I hid."  
Liana resisted the urge to look back. She could almost feel Kappa bristling behind her. She placed her spoon back on the table, her appetite replaced with extreme nausea, making the chocolate fudge taste rancid.

"I was taken in by distant relatives," Shiro went on. "They trained me in the art of Onmyoji."

"Excellent!" Kiyotsugu fistpumped the air. "Do you want to join the Kiyojuji Paranormal Patrol?"

Shiro laughed and waved a hand. "No no, but if you get into any trouble with yokai, come look for me."

Natsume looked at him. "But there's none in this town during the day, is there?"

"Of course there is." Shiro shrugged. "They're everywhere."

"Then let's go look for them!" Kiyotsugu picked up his bag, and Kurata grabbed the back of his shirt before he leapt from the chair.

"Before you go running headlong into trouble," Shiro began, "Make sure to remember one thing – yokai are evil. They do not mix with humans."

Yura fixed one eye on him. "But there are humans who are born part yokai."

Shiro laughed. "Of course! What do you think those monsters wanted with my mother? Hybrids happen, and the offspring are often killed or left to be raised by yokai."

Rikuo leant back in his chair. "But there are tales about marriages."

"Yes, there may well be human and yokai marriages but there's no love involved."  
"How can you be so sure?" Tsurara asked.

Shiro shrugged. "I've saved enough lives to know how evil yokai are."

Liana traced a trail of melted ice cream across the table with her index finger. Evil... good... she wasn't sure. Everything she learned about yokai from living amongst them and the stories from humans conflicted with each other. However, there was something about Shiro that told her she could trust him...

"Well, I think we've all finished." Rikuo stood up. "Shall we head back to mine?"  
"Excellent!" Kiyotsugu leapt from his chair. "A sleepover at Nura's house!"

"Not a sleepover, just tea."  
They all stood and filed out of the ice cream parlour. As they turned to walk back, Shiro jogged to catch up with Liana.

"It looks like we're going the same way. Mind if I walk with you for a bit?"

"Not at all." She smiled.

* * *

"Don't you think it's a little odd?"

Rikuo looked over at Kappa. "What do you mean?"  
Rikuo, Kappa and Kurata were walking a few paces behind the rest of the group. Kappa nodded at the group ahead of them, all eagerly conversing with the strange white-haired boy.

"Your human friends seem a little too fond of that Onmyoji."

"There is something a little strange about him," Rikuo agreed.

"A little strange?" Kurata grumbled. "I wouldn't trust a single word that comes out of his mouth."

"Not to mention," Kappa added, "That the new human girl seems oddly comfortable around him."  
Rikuo looked over at Liana. Shiro had placed a hand on her shoulder and she didn't seem to mind. In fact, she was laughing.

"Oh..."

Kappa closed his eyes. "Doesn't she normally flinch away?"

"Yes..." Rikuo scratched his head in thought. "Tsurara is with them. I'll have to ask her what she thinks about all this."

"I'd say she thinks the same," Said Kurata. "I think his charm only works on humans."

Rikuo nodded.

Just before they reached his street, Shiro came to a stop and waved, before walking on ahead. When Rikuo caught up with them, the strange white-haired boy was the hot topic of conversation, until Kiyotsugu swiftly changed it back to yokai over tea.

* * *

And here you finally have Shiro! =D

Please R&R!


	7. Chapter 7

**AN - sorry for the slow updates. Writer's block has struck again and I'm still struggling with chapter 17...**

**Thanks for all the reviews and follows lately =D I worried this wouldn't really attract any readers! I'm chuffed as eggs! Thank you all =3**

**I hope this pleases. A lot happens here.**

**Disclaimer - I do NOT own Nurarihyon no Mago/Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan or any of its characters!**

* * *

7

Liana flopped back onto the sleeping mat. It had been a long day, and even Weave seemed relieved it was over (though to be fair he had spent a majority of it stuffed into a bag.) Liana watched the Weaver of Fates as he gazed out of the open bedroom window into the twilit garden. He stood with his paws on the window frame, pulling himself up onto tiptoes to peer out. It had been the longest he'd not been avidly watching her every movement. She wondered if he was annoyed at her for keeping him zipped up in a bag all day, but he hadn't even so much as wriggled while he'd been in there. Did he even have emotions?

She rolled onto her side, trying to summon sleep, but her mind kept wandering back to Shiro. She wondered if she'd ever see him again.

For some reason, she felt like she could trust him.

Maybe it was because he was human? Or the fact she didn't sense anything malicious off him.

It had been a long, long time since she'd ever trusted someone before. It was an alien feeling.

...

It felt nice.

* * *

Sleep was filled with fitful nightmares. Several times Liana woke up, thrashing under the sheet trying to escape invisible hands. Several times she had to reassure herself they were only dreams and it was perfectly safe to go back to sleep.

After the fifth one, she forced herself to stay awake and leant against the window frame to watch the sunrise. Weave sat silently next to her, staring at the far wall. Just as the sun peeked above the horizon in an explosion of reds and oranges, she felt a tug at her neck and looked down to find Weave winding her clock. She let out a sigh and leant back on the window frame, the dull grinding of the clock's gears breaking the peaceful silence.

The dramatic red and orange spread slowly across the sky, mellowing out into a golden yellow and lighting up the garden with the first rays of morning sun. The clock's soft ticking was drowned out by murmurs and voices as the yokai woke up, appearing in the garden and shuffling and skipping into the house.

Weave's plush head popped up next to hers, his button eyes fixed on the waking garden. A soft splash drew their attention to the pond. Kappa climbed out and glanced up at her window. For some reason beyond her comprehension she ducked out of sight. She silently scolded herself and tried to slow her now rapidly beating heart.

Weave looked down at her with what felt like a derisive glare before turning back to the window.

She shook herself back to reality and quickly changed into the previous day's clothes. Well at least she could rest assured he wasn't going out of his way to avoid her any more. Now she just had to get through the day's chores on little sleep. First stop, as normal, would be the kitchen.

She glanced back at the rabbit, who was still gazing through the window. "Are you coming, Weave?"

He looked back at her then followed her from the room, his steady footsteps echoing off the wooden walls behind her.

She slipped into the kitchen, grabbed a large plate of assorted savouries and followed Kejoro into the dining area where the plate joined various others on the low table. There were a few yokai already present and she spotted Rikuo in the far corner with Yuki Onna, Aotabo and Kappa. A small black crow she'd learned to be called Karasu Tengu was chatting quietly to them. She shook off her curiosity and went back into the kitchen to continue setting the table.

Once it was all done and she could join them for breakfast, Rikuo and his friends were long gone. She glanced around the room at the other yokai, Weave mimicking her movements. Many of them paid her no interest but a few watched her cautiously, making her feel incredibly small. She hastily grabbed something for her breakfast and slipped back into the kitchen where Wakana was already washing the dishes.

"How are they doing in there?" The woman asked her.

"They'll be finished soon." Liana leant against the counter and quickly ate the pastry. It was filled with a sweet paste. Perhaps a little too sweet for breakfast. "Has Rikuo gone somewhere?" She grabbed a towel and began drying a plate.

"He left a while ago with Yuki Onna and Aotabo," Wakana told her. "Which reminds me – we need a few things for tonight's dinner. Would you pick some bits up for me?"

Liana looked up at her. "I'd be happy to. Does someone need to come with me?"

"We can find you someone." She paused, sponge hovering just above the sink as she lost herself in thought. "Now I know Kubinashi is busy today, and Kejoro is helping me with the cooking..."

"Master already asked me."

Liana span on the spot, almost dropping the plate. Kappa stood in the doorway looking almost as uneasy as she felt.

"Oh well then." Wakana beamed and turned back to the sink. "Problem solved. Would you take Liana to pick up some groceries?" She pointed to the fridge. A note was stuck to it with a magnet of the cute yellow cat mascot. Liana wondered if Yuki Onna had bought it. "The list is just there."

Liana swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. "Erm... do you need me to finish up in here first?"

"Just this lot. Kejoro will be back here soon."

Liana nodded and turned back to the wet dishes. A shuffle behind her indicated Kappa had left, possibly to wait in his pond. She grit her teeth. Someone had to be doing this on purpose...

* * *

No matter how much she tried to delay the inevitable, Liana eventually had to leave the house. With Weave stuffed into her backpack once more, she stepped outside, narrowly avoiding the blonde man she'd angered the day before. It felt like a major case of de-ja-vu, except it was filled with a rising dread.

She made her way towards the pond, glancing up at the main gates with vain hope that Rikuo and his friends might be waiting there. No... instead, waiting for her, was Kappa in his human disguise. She forced her hands into her jacket pockets and strutted over to him with what she hoped came across as confidence.

When she reached him, her heart almost hit her stomach.

"Ahh... I forgot the shopping list..." She turned to leave but he cut in front of her, holding out a slip of paper. She recoiled slightly. He still had heavily webbed hands...

"Already got it." He stuffed it back in his pocket. "Shall we go?"

She nodded and followed Kappa out of the gate and down the street towards the town. They walked in silence, the tension in the air so thick it felt like she was moving through tar. If one of them didn't break the ice sooner or later, this was going to be a painful chore.

If he hadn't been walking ahead of her, she wouldn't have noticed him turn the corner. They were going a different route than the previous day. At least she was getting to see more of Ukiyoe Town.

This street hosted more entertainment shops – book stores, a store for DVDs and CDs, a games arcade. Well, playing a few games might be a way to break some ice. She opened her mouth to suggest it, but Kappa turned down another street and she had to jog to catch up. She only just spotted him vanish inside a large supermarket.

She zipped past him and grabbed a small basket. When she turned to join him, his large brown, cat-like eyes were filled with mild amusement.

"You've never done this before, have you." He grabbed a shopping trolley.

"She sent us out for some bits."

"Yes. And there are almost a hundred of us."

He handed her the shopping list and she took it gingerly before depositing her basket back on the stack. He crossed his arms over the handle of the shopping trolley and steered it into the store. Liana watched him curiously and followed after him. It looked like an awkward way of handling things, but she wondered if he was aware he couldn't disguise himself as perfectly as Yuki Onna and Aotabo.

She dismissed her thoughts and cast her eyes over the shopping list. It was mostly vegetables, fruit and noodles. Kappa had clearly memorised it. When she looked up he was waiting for her in the vegetable aisle, leaning on the handle of the trolley with his eyes closed.

Deciding it was better to just get things over with, she grabbed a brown paper bag and gathered a couple of onions into it. She turned to put them in the trolley but paused. Kappa was shaking his head.

"What?"

He opened one eye to look at her. "You'll need to double that at least."

She sighed, grabbed another three and placed them in the trolley. As they moved through the store, it felt like she was doing a weekly shop rather than gathering bits for one night.

"Don't they order in a shop every week?" She asked, dropping a large bag of apples into the trolley.

"Monthly." Kappa steered the trolley on. "But someone gets sent out occasionally for things that don't last."

"I guess that makes sense." She shrugged, following him through the aisle.

They continued on in silence, finishing finally at the checkout. She looked down at the contents of the trolley and scratched her head. How they were going to carry this all back home? Something brushed her hand and she almost leapt from her skin. She span to face Kappa who's eyes reflected her own surprise. Several people stopped to look in their direction.

"S-sorry," She stuttered. "You startled me."

Kappa sighed and took a step towards her. He handed her some yen notes. She mentally kicked herself. He'd been trying to pass them to her through some sleight of hand, and she'd only drawn attention to themselves.

They quickly bagged up and Liana paid the cashier, muttering a quick thanks as she turned to follow after Kappa. She'd been surprised when everything fit into four bags. Regardless, they were still heavy yet they appeared to be weightless to him. She struggled to keep up.

'_Thank goodness this is nearly over._'

Kappa vanished round the corner. Before she could reach it, someone called her name. She looked over her shoulder. A familiar white-haired boy was running across the road towards her.

"Shiro!" She grinned.

"Whew!" He stopped at her side. "I thought I was going to miss you there." He eyed her bags. "Shopping?"

"Yes... just some bits."

"Here, I'll help you carry them back." He offered his hand.

Kappa peered round the corner. "We're fine, thank you."  
"Oh!" Shiro looked from Kappa to Liana. "You're not alone."

"No. This is..." She paused. She'd never been told Kappa's human name. She'd have to improvise. "Taiki."

Kappa raised an eyebrow.

Shiro pointed at him. "You were with us yesterday?"

Kappa nodded and turned away. "Come on. They'll be waiting."

Liana gave Shiro a regretful smile. "I need to hurry."

"At least let me help you." He took one of the bags from her and they followed after Kappa. "So they have you running errands?"

"I have to earn my keep somehow."

He chuckled. "I don't think your... friend... likes me."

She shrugged. "To be honest, I don't think he likes me either."

"That's impossible!" He flashed her a grin. "You're a charming young lady!"  
She felt her face heat up and tried to hide her blush behind her jacket collar. "...Thanks..."

A look of unease crossed his face and he looked down at her backpack. "Something appears to be watching me from your bag..."

She almost dropped her shopping. She spun the bag off her back and sharply drew the zipper across.

"Sorry about that." She threw the bag back across her shoulders and collected the plastic bag from the floor. "I... make dolls..."

He smiled and they picked up pace to keep up with Kappa. The yokai reached their street and paused to look back at them.

In the silence, Liana heard the zipper of her bag open. She grimaced, silently cursing Weave and hoping Shiro wouldn't notice.

"I'll leave you here." He handed her the shopping bag. "I don't think he wants me to follow you."

"That's fine." She smiled at him. "Thanks for your help."

He took her hand in both of his. "Any time." He gave her a warm smile, released her hand and turned to leave.

Liana stared after him, her hand still warm and tingly. When he vanished round the corner, she shook herself out of her trance. She ran across the road to catch up with Kappa and was welcomed with an accusing glance.

"What's your problem?" She asked him.

"That guy's trouble."

"Really? Because he was being nice."

"He's sly and cunning, you just don't see it."  
Liana snorted. "I think you're jealous."

He span to face her. "Jealous?! Of what? I like my life!" He snorted. "Then you entered it." He turned to head back to the house. "Just so you know, no one except you humans like that guy. What does that tell you?"

She frowned. "That yokai don't like humans."

He didn't even look back.

Liana stood there, her mind a complete blank. He hated her. He really hated her.

With his words still echoing around her head, she took a deep breath to steady her nerves and followed him to the kitchen.

"I've never seen him like this."

The voice came from one of the flower beds. Kubinashi was stood tending to the plants. He fixed amber eyes on her.

"He's normally rather laid back." He scooped water from a bucket to throw over the flowers. "I don't know how you bring this out of him."

She sighed. So it was personal. She slumped into the kitchen and deposited her bag. Wakana thanked her and began unpacking the shopping.

"I'm going to drop my bag in my room," Liana told her. "I'll be back down to help if you need it."

"That would be wonderful, thank you Liana."  
When Liana reached her room, she dropped her bag to the floor. Weave climbed out and fixed his button eyes on hers.

"You almost gave yourself away," She told him. "What is wrong with you?"

As ever, he said nothing, instead walking over to the window. He stopped, his eyes moving down to the sleeping mat.

Liana followed his gaze. There, on the mat, was a small envelope. Her name was written on it with elegant hand writing in black ink. She opened it, revealing a letter with the same neat hand writing.

'_Liana,_

_Meet me at midnight. Follow the river, I'll be waiting._'

No name...

Something told her it must be Shiro. But how did the letter get there? She dropped it onto the pillow and made her way to the kitchen. Midnight seemed like an odd time to meet, but at least at that time everyone was asleep and she could slip out without being seen.

* * *

As soon as the evening chores were out of the way, Liana went up to her room for a rest. A fitful night's sleep and a stressful day was really starting to take its toll on her. She lay down on the mat and pulled the light sheet over her in hopes she could get some sleep before midnight. But she feared she'd miss it. She rolled onto her side and stared at the door. An alarm clock would be useful.

Weave stood by her head staring at her. She wasn't sure if she was relieved he was acting more 'normal' or not. She closed her eyes. The sun had long since set and it was already ten pm. It was too risky to sleep for two hours...

But sleep consumed her, once again racked with nightmares.

Running, fleeing from shadows that tried to grab her.

Falling into an endless pool of water.

Suffocating...

She woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for breath. She swiped the back of her hand across her brown and checked the time on her pocket watch. It wasn't even eleven.

She sighed, dragging herself to her feet. There wasn't much to do to kill time, but she could at least change back into her clothes.

Once changed, she sat at the window, letting the cool night air blow through her hair. It was always this recently – nightmares or conversations with that strange phantom girl. She was starting to miss the latter. At least she'd wake up feeling refreshed.

She sighed, her eyes scanning the garden. It was peaceful, the cherry blossom tree blowing in the wind and scattering its petals across the pond.

'_I like my life! ...Then you entered it._'

She flinched, tearing her eyes from the silvery surface of the water. Did they all feel like that? Many of the yokai fixed her with cautious eyes, and there was that blonde yokai with red eyes who'd shouted profanities when he saw her.

She sighed, checking the time once more. Eleven thirty. She stood up and grabbed her bag, then turned to address the rabbit.

"Okay Weave," She whispered. "If you're wanting to come with me, get inside."

Weave was silent, staring.

"Okay, fine! Stay here."

She turned and left the room, Weave following behind her with his heavy footsteps. She rounded on him.

"If you want to come with me, get in the bag."

Stare.

She sighed. If he insisted on following her, she could always bluff and say he's not with her. But she did hate lying...

She turned down the staircase and towards the front door. It was locked with a deadbolt. She opened it and stepped outside into the garden, closing it silently behind her. Weave had skipped on ahead and stood by the pond watching her. She ignored him, marching on as confidently and quietly as she could towards the main gate.

_Thump thump thump!_

She span to look back at Weave. He had his giant foot poised above the ground. She shushed him.

"What are you doing?" She whispered harshly. "Stop that."

She turned her back on him, picking up pace towards the gate.

_Thump thump thump thump thump!_

She ran, vanishing through the gate and hoping desperately no one had been woken up. Weave skipped behind her on all-fours, overtaking her and pausing once again to strike the floor. Now they were out of the Nura House, his loud thumping was no threat. She ignored him, her eyes searching the dark for the river.

She found it, just beyond the thorn bushes. Careful not to snag herself on the wicked thorns, she waded through them towards the river and followed it into the woods. It wound and twisted into the undergrowth, the trees becoming more dense the further she pressed on, obscuring them from the moonlight. The only light was that reflected off the river's surface, a constant warning to its wet, watery depths. She could only just make out the time on her watch. It was now almost midnight.

And almost pitch black.

Rikuo's warning about strange yokai rose in her mind and she cast her eyes left and right, glancing behind her, the feeling of being watched prickling across her skin.

Another series of thumps from Weave sent her heart leaping into her throat.

Something crunched over the foliage behind her, much too heavy to be Weave. She span on the spot, taking a step backwards, her heart racing as her body braced itself to flee.

The footsteps grew louder. She took another step back, turning to run.

"Where are you going?"

She looked back. Kappa pushed his way through the undergrowth towards her. His eyes searched the shadows and he paused.

"Foolish human. You're walking straight into danger." He held out his hand. "Come on, we're going back."

Liana rubbed her hands together and looked over the trees. "But... I'm meeting someone."

"No you're not, it's dangerous." Kappa pointed at Weave. "What do you think he's been trying to tell you? You're going to get yourself killed."

"Why would you care anyway?" She turned away from him, heading further into the woods. "I thought you'd want me out of your life."  
He sighed and pushed on after her. "You idiot."

A loud snap echoed through the trees. They froze.

A screech cut through the air, shaking the branches above them.

Fire lit up the sky.

Liana felt herself pushed to the floor, landing face first in the mud. She pushed herself to her knees, wiping wet soil from her eyes. A blazing bird shot from the sky, striking Kappa square in the chest. Flames consumed him.

Liana's heart stopped. A gut-wrenching panic filled her body. Her eyes searched frantically, landing on the odd rabbit.

"Weave! Do something!"

The Weaver of Fates fixed his button eyes on hers. The world seemed to run in slow motion. He leapt into the air, flipping backwards. Time froze.

Liana felt her strength being drained out of her.

Trees rushed past her.

Voices babbled in her head.

Nausea flowed through her body and she closed her eyes.

When she opened them, she was standing once again amongst the trees.

"Where are you going?"

She looked back. Kappa pushed his way through the undergrowth towards her. His eyes searched the shadows and he paused.

"Foolish human. You're walking straight into danger." He held out his hand. "Come on, we're going back."

Liana looked down at the Weaver of Fates. He stood beside her, fixing her with his ever present stare. She swallowed drily. What had he done?

"Are you coming?"

She looked back at Kappa and nodded. "Yes..."

They turned to head back.

A loud snap echoed through the trees.

Liana grabbed Kappa's arm and wrenched him sideways, sending them both tumbling into the river. Pain split through the front of her head as water engulfed them. A loud screech split through the air, muffled by the sound of the raging water.

She opened her eyes. Kappa looked back at her and his eyes widened. A stream of red flowed above her. He reached a hand out towards her head and she flinched back.

With a nod, he turned his back to her and gestured for her to hold on. She hesitated briefly before grabbing the back of his shirt. She closed her eyes as the water beat against her as he fought against the current.

After what felt like an eternity, he stopped and she clambered to the surface for air. She felt herself dragged onto the riverbed and she fell onto her bottom, gasping and wiping water from her face. A tug at her neck snatched her attention. Kappa was clutching her pocket watch. Water ran down his hands and pooled on the floor.

"Don't panic. If I don't drain it, it will stop working."

A soft, repetitive thud approached them and Weave stopped at her side. She let out a sigh of relief. Whatever had attacked them had spared the odd rabbit.

Kappa released her watch and it swung free. He stood up and she followed him. Her head span and she placed her hand on a tree to steady herself. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her head. Her surroundings became vastly familiar. They were back amongst the thorn bushes.

"We're home?"

"Yes. Let's get inside. We don't know if they've followed us."

They waded through the thorns and back through the main gate.

"What was that thing?" She asked.

"It sounded like some kind of bird."

"It was a bird. But it was on fire."

He looked at her. "How did you see it? We were under water."

"Because it happened twice." She stopped and wrung her hands together. "The first time... it killed you..."

He raised an eyebrow. "I think you must have hit your head pretty hard."  
"No!" She bit her lip and looked away from him. "I saw it. Weave... he did something... he changed time somehow..."

Kappa scratched his head and looked down at the rabbit. "Well if he did change time, how come you remember it and I don't?"

Liana crossed her arms and hugged them to herself. "I don't know..."

"Well..." He paused. "You're still bleeding. We need to fix that."  
She nodded, the motion causing her to feel sick. She placed a hand on her head and followed after him. So much had happened, her head was spinning just from the chaos of it all. She barely noticed when they'd reached the kitchen.

The strength still hadn't returned to her body. As Kappa clattered around the kitchen worktops, she sought out a stool and lowered herself onto it. The yokai soon finished what he was doing and turned to her holding a large cotton pad in his hand.

"There's no mirror in here. Can you still do this yourself?"

She took the pad off him and pressed it to her head... and winced.

"It's antiseptic so it's going to sting." Kappa turned back to the counter.

Liana sighed. '_Thanks for the warning..._'

"Are you going to tell me why you were wandering in the woods?" He asked.

"I was meeting someone."

He returned with another cotton pad and surgical tape. He handed her the fresh pad and she automatically replaced the one on her head.

"Who?"

"Shiro I think."

With little warning he leant into her and she froze. He moved away just as quickly and turned back to the counter.

"Done."

She ran her fingertips over the pad and felt the rough surgical tape. "You taped it in place?"

"Well I doubt you could have done it yourself." He looked back at her. "Did he ask you to meet him?"  
"He left a letter in my room."

Kappa stared at her. She shrank back, suddenly feeling very small.

"Show me."  
Liana blinked. "Sorry?"

"The letter. Show me."

"Okay." She stood slowly, leading him from the kitchen.

When they reached her room, she slid the door open and led him inside. He went to close it.

"Leave it open."

He fixed her with a sceptical look and let out an exasperated sigh.

"... Please." She looked away, bending to scoop up the letter by her pillow. "This is it."

He took it from her and read over it. "It doesn't say much."

"But I think he sent it here."

"It's clearly a trap." He seemed to consider giving the letter back, then changed his mind. "I'll have to tell Master Rikuo."

"What? Because a yokai attacked us?"

He glanced at her. "It wasn't a yokai."

"How can you be so sure if you didn't see it?"  
"You described a giant flaming bird. In all my centuries I've never heard of a yokai with that appearance." He paused. "It doesn't sound like a Ho-o."

"It was scary..." Liana sat down and put her head in her hands. "I actually thought it had killed you... and then Weave..."

He sat down next to her. "Can you tell me exactly what happened?"

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. She didn't really want to keep reliving it. She took a breath then told him everything – from finding the letter, leaving the house, Weave trying to stop her, all the way to the bird's attack and Weave's altering of time, ending with her dragging Kappa into the river.

Of course, she missed out her nightmares.

They sat in silence for a moment. Liana fidgeted her hands together, staring at the far corner by the door.

"If what you said is true," Kappa finally said, "Then if I threw you into the ground, it sounds like the bird was targeting you."

Her body stiffened.

"However, why would Shiro be trying to attack you?"  
"What makes you so sure it's him?" She asked.

"Because I get a bad feeling from him. And I'm not alone." He stood and looked down at her. "Whatever he's done to make you and the other humans like him doesn't work on yokai."

"So you're trying to tell me he's cast some kind of spell on us?"  
"I have enough evidence to back that fact. Your aversion to physical contact contradicts itself when you're around him."

A jolt ran through her body, like someone shattering a glass window. Realization dawned on her like a dark fog. He was right. She rubbed her arms with her hands as a chill washed over her. How could she trust someone so easily?

"I'll speak to Master Rikuo in the morning." He made to leave but faltered. "Oh and... I'm sorry."

She looked up at him. "What for?"

"Speaking harshly." He stuffed the letter inside his shirt. "I didn't mean what I said. And maybe you're right. Maybe I was a little jealous."  
She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Well since you arrived here, you've always thought the worst of me. Then this guy shows up and all he has to do is flash a smile and you instantly trust him." He shrugged. "Anyway, you get some sleep."

Liana watched him as he left the room. Before he could close the door, she cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry too." She stared at the floor. "I've said some harsh things myself."

He nodded and slid the door closed after him. He started making his way towards the stairs and stopped. Whatever came in through her window could come back. He shook his head and went back to her room, leaning against the wall beside the door. He slid down to the floor and let out a loud sigh. What was he doing?

* * *

**Oh the drama...**

**Please R&R =D**


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for delays. So many distractions...

This is a short chapter, but it's one of my favourites. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer - I do NOT own Nurarihyon no Mago/Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan or any of it's characters!

* * *

8

Liana's dreams were filled with a silent, calm blackness. Not a single sound penetrated it – it was the epitome of tranquillity. She floated on her back, her eyes closed, enjoying the restfulness that came from an empty dream.

"Well that was fun."

Her eyes snapped open. Floating just a few feet above her stood the sepia phantom girl. Liana rolled over, crossing her legs beneath her.

"How long have you been floating there?"

The phantom shrugged. "I lose track of time here. But you were so peaceful I didn't want to disturb you."

Liana rubbed an arm with her hand and looked away. "Thanks?"

"Well." The girl clicked her tongue and stared off into the distance. "I thought you might need some rest after that."

"I'd rather forget about it to be honest."

"It might be a valuable lesson learned." The girl fixed her lifeless eyes on Liana. "You can't repress_ every_ unpleasant memory."

Liana tutted. "I could try."

"Oh sure, you could try." The phantom shrugged. "I mean, it was scary. And it _was_ your fault he almost died. It was also your fault you trusted so blindly. And you almost got Weave killed too, which I'm not too happy about."

"Weave was fine!" Liana fixed the girl with a fierce stare. "He's the one who fixed it all!"  
"He shouldn't be needing to fix your problems." The phantom shrugged again. "But if he didn't change time, the three of you would be three piles of ashes blowing in the wind right now."  
Liana grimaced. "Your words are little comfort."

"I speak the truth."

"Do you know how he did it?" Liana looked down at her hands. "Did you know he can change time?"

"We call them Time Hops."

Her eyes snapped back to the girl. "So you did-"

"It's not something he should do very often. More so for your sake."  
"What do you mean?"

The phantom girl shuffled her right foot back and forth like a child kicking nervously at the ground. "Well, what Weave is could be described as a parasite."

Liana remained silent, urging the girl to say more.

"Like a parasite," The girl went on, "Weave needs a host to survive. He takes what he needs from those he helps in order to keep his own clock ticking."

Liana nodded. "And he took my sanity."  
The girl stared off into the distance again. "Yes well, sometimes what he takes isn't enough. If you need a bigger favour from him, you pay the price."

"So he took something else?"

"You won't miss it."  
Liana tried to stand up. "What do you mean I won't miss it?!" She fell back onto her bottom, sinking further into the darkness.

The girl looked down at her. "You won't miss it... because you don't have it yet." She laughed. "And now you never will."  
Liana growled. "Your cryptic messages are beginning to get on my nerves."

The girl laughed again, a tinkling sound echoing through the emptiness. "Oh Liana, nothing in life is free. Think of it this way. Say you are paid seven pounds for one hour of work, and buy lunch. Your lunch probably cost you seven pounds – a sandwich, drink, some snacks. It lasts..." She pursed her lips in thought, "Five, maybe ten minutes?" She looked back down at Liana. "It hardly seems worth it does it? But the energy you get from that meal will last a good few hours at least."

Liana blinked.

"So what Weave took from you was simply a year or two off your life." The phantom looked down at her nails. "It might seem like a hefty price to pay to alter a mere minute or two of your own past, but it would also fuel him to live for another decade... maybe."

Liana stared off into the darkness. "So he's going to keep draining years off my life?"

"Only if you keep messing up." The phantom paused. "He's working so hard to give you a happier life like you wanted. You need to read his signs."

"If he wanted to give me a happier life," Liana said slowly, "He could have put me around creatures that are easier to trust."

"Like kittens?" The phantom's voice was laced with innocence. For a moment Liana thought she was being serious. "Trust works both ways, Liana. You think they have to earn your trust, yet not one of them trusts you either."

"How do you know? Have you been watching?" She looked up at the phantom girl but she said nothing. "Trusting isn't easy, you know. The humans are okay... but the only yokai I actually feel comfortable around is Yuki Onna."

"Because she's nice to you?"

Liana nodded.

The phantom inclined her head on one side. "Do you ever think that is because... she was asked to be?"

The girl slowly faded as light cut through the darkness. Liana shielded her eyes as dazzle spots danced across her vision. Bird song and voices reached her ears.

When she opened her eyes, she was staring at the ceiling of her room. A soft breeze came in through the open window. Wait... what time was it?! She sat bolt upright and winced, placing a hand on her head. It was still sore. It also looked like she'd fallen asleep in her wet clothes. She grimaced. The first thing she was going to need this morning was a hot bath.

* * *

The bath had certainly been refreshing, but it had made Liana a little late to help with breakfast. To make up for it, she'd quickly grabbed something to eat in the kitchen while helping to clear away the dishes, then swiftly ran outside to hang the laundry.

She was surprised to find her outfit had already been washed. She carefully hung the items on the washing line, making sure nothing was snatched away in another sharp gust of wind.

The air was filled with a light, pleasant breeze gently breaking up the summer heat. It looked like it was going to be a hot day. Small yokai scurried around her, burning off their breakfast with games of tag or hide and seek. A little pink one had taken to hiding in the peg bag and handing pegs to her when she needed them.

She lowered herself to take a peg from her little helper and froze as a shadow loomed over her. She looked over her shoulder. Kappa stood there, avoiding her eyes.

"Master Rikuo wants to speak with you."

"Oh..." She lowered the laundry back into the basket. "Is it urgent?"

"Yes." He paused. "We've had some bad news."

"Okay." Liana grabbed the basket and headed towards the house. "Where is he?"

"I'll take you. I'm going too."

He overtook her and she followed him into the house, depositing the laundry basket in the lobby. They wound through the corridors and he came to a stop at a closed door. Fear welled up inside her, her hands visibly shaking. It felt much more ominous than any other door.

Kappa knocked twice on the door then opened it, slipping inside. Liana followed after him, her eyes falling on the room's occupants. Rikuo sat cross-legged at the far end of the room, his grandfather and Karasu Tengu beside him.

Nurarihyon gestured to the open space before them. "Please sit."

Liana obeyed, folding her legs beneath herself and sitting a couple of feet away from Kappa. Rikuo and the two other yokai watched them silently for what felt like a painfully long moment.

"I hear you two went on a little adventure last night!"  
The Supreme Commander's words caused Liana to almost leap from her skin. She hugged herself as a chill ran over her.

"I did instruct you to not leave the premises unattended, Liana," The old yokai went on, "However, you did so anyway, apparently responding to this letter."

She followed his hand to the floor. The letter lay open before them.

"Who were you meeting?"

Liana swallowed to try and wet her dry throat. "I believed someone I thought was a friend left it for me..."

"'Thought was a friend'," Nurarihyon repeated. "So I'm guessing he's not any more?"

Liana twirled her hair around her fingers. "Not if he planned to attack me, no."  
"This Shiro claimed to be an Onmyoji. If that's the case, he's a dangerous man for you to interact with while staying here."

Liana nodded. "But I told him nothing."

"We have been told what happened," Rikuo said. "But could you tell us in your own words?"  
Liana sighed, then relayed the events of the previous night. She wondered if she'd be re-living them forever. When she'd finished, a silence passed over them once more.

"A flaming bird." The old yokai nodded. He glanced over her shoulder at Weave briefly before he continued. "We believe it was a Shikigami."

"What makes you so sure?" Kappa asked.

"Because one of our clan members was killed the night before last."

Liana's jaw dropped.

"This will be new to you, Liana," He went on. "As you were late to breakfast this morning. But he was attacked by a flaming bird."

"Before it launched an attack," Karasu Tengu added. "Those who saw it mistook it for a Furari-bi. It hovered aimlessly before it swept from the sky and killed Hyosube, then vanished into the night."

"I'm sorry. Who was-" Liana was cut off.

"He was the brown hairy yokai you were chatting to," Kappa told her.

Liana felt sick to the pit of her stomach. Only a couple of days ago she'd been talking to that yokai and now... her entire body began to visibly shake.

"We believe this Shiro knows of our clan," Said Nurarihyon. "And he has an ability that allows him to win the trust of humans."

Karasu Tengu nodded. "Just like the Five-Tailed White Fox."

Liana blinked. Their expressions seemed to imply she should know who they were talking about. When her confusion was plain to see, the black crow yokai continued with an explanation.

"Two hundred years ago, a kitsune had managed to infiltrate a human village, wearing a charming human disguise so perfect even his tails were hidden. All the humans instantly adored him, welcoming him in with open arms. His original intentions are unknown to this day, as he fell in love with a human girl who lived in that village.

"His charms didn't end at merely friendship. This young woman fell for him, and within weeks they were planning to be wed. However, the Five-Tailed White Fox knew he couldn't keep lying to her, so he revealed his true identity.

"Instantly his charm was broken, and she ran screaming, telling everyone in the village of the monster who had tricked her. He was chased from the village and hid in the woods.

"The humans were angered at his trickery and decided to kill him. They sent several of their strongest warriors into the woods, and they returned baring one of his white tails. No one – human or yokai – ever heard from him again."

"We're not saying it's him," Nurarihyon told them. "But his ability could have been passed down to his descendants." He paused. "Or humans could have learned it. But that's unlikely."  
"So where did the Shikigami come from?" Kappa asked.

"He could be in allegiance with Onmyoji," Rikuo sighed. "But why a yokai would put himself in the firing line like that is a mystery."

"The best place to hide a tree," Said Karasu Tengu, "Is in the forest."

"Which brings us to our next concern," Nurarihyon looked up at Liana. "What we are going to do with you."

Liana's heart felt like it was trying to break free of her chest.

"You've caused us quite a bit of trouble. I'm not saying it's your fault, but I did warn you not to leave these premises unattended. If it weren't for Kappa, you would likely be dead." He paused. "Actually, if it weren't for your magical rabbit, you would both be dead."

Liana looked back at the door. Weave was stood watching them silently.

"It's still too dangerous for us to let you leave here," He went on. "And I'm not too fond of the idea of disposing of you, so I am going to assign you a guard at all times."

She looked down at her hands. It wouldn't be too bad having to spend all day with Yuki Onna or Kejoro... At least she'd be busy, and have someone to talk to.

"So I am leaving Kappa in charge of you."

She looked up. The movement to her right told her Kappa was just as shocked at his words.

"You shall be in his care from dawn until dusk."

Liana opened her mouth to retort, but words failed her.

"I'm aware you don't exactly see eye to eye," The old yokai smirked, "So think of it as a punishment for your crimes."

Kappa sighed. He clearly saw no point in arguing.

The old yokai turned to look at him. "I am aware it is a double-edged blade. Maybe you'll learn to get along. You may leave."

Liana and Kappa both stood quietly, retreating to the door. They gave Nurarihyon a polite bow before Kappa closed it behind them. Liana sighed and glanced at him. From dawn until dusk... this was certainly going to make chores more interesting.

* * *

"Thank you, Grandfather," Said Rikuo.

"What for?" Nurarihyon asked.

"For letting her stay. Who knows what would have happened to her if Kappa hadn't chased her down. If we let her go now then there's a high chance she'll be targeted."

"Or used against us," Karasu Tengu added.

The old yokai chuckled.

Rikuo sighed. "You have other reasons, don't you..."

"Well, if that Shiro is behind this," Nurarihyon said slowly, "Then we need to lure him out somehow."

Karasu Tengu's jaw almost hit the floor. "Supreme Commander! You don't mean-"

Rikuo looked down at his Grandfather. "You're using her as bait?"

"No... you are." Nurarihyon grinned. "Don't worry. I'm sure in a busy place that boy won't be wanting to draw attention to himself. Nor will he be willing to allow Shikigami to rampage freely."

"You don't mean..."

"Yes." Nurarihyon smiled. "I think you should take our new human friend to Bakenekoya tonight. Pick me up some candy too, would you?"

* * *

Please R&R =D


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